Next year’s budget in Hamilton would keep property taxes flat and reduce the town’s spending, should the mayor’s proposed plan go through.

At a press conference Thursday, Mayor Kelly Yaede presented her budget, which would keep the tax rate at $1.20 per $100 of property value and cut spending by $1.1 million to $98 million. Many of those savings come from eliminating 17 full-time positions through retirements.

“We are doing much more with less,” she said. “Let’s look at how we can work smarter and not harder.”

She said the staffing reductions bring the township about $570,000 in savings from the salaries and benefits from those employees. The township also saw spending reductions in utilities, garbage disposal and solid waste that added up to more than $750,000.

The budget also includes a $46,000 outlay for cameras in council chambers, an issue council members asked for late last year.

Michael Angarone, director of the township’s Department of Economic Development and Technology, said the township would put together specifications and put the project out for public bid. He said they intended the system to allow for live broadcasting and Internet streaming of council meetings.

Yaede said the town will also pave another 28 streets under the proposed budget, with 13 done by private contractors.

Business Administrator John Ricci said the police force will replace one police officer with a civilian to run the township’s evidence room.

He said the township will also have increased spending on its insurance plans, driven by larger costs for insurance plans overall.

Councilman Dave Kenny praised the budget at the press conference. He said he was glad the township was proposing a budget with a flat tax rate.

“This is really an achievement in good government,” Kenny said.

The budget will now go to council, where it will go through several hearings and requires a majority approval to become official.