More than 2,000 Newark city employees will be hit by pay cuts and unpaid furloughs, Mayor Cory Booker announced Tuesday.

The changes include higher parking and traffic ticket fines, 18 days of unpaid furloughs for non-uniformed employees coupled with the possibility of a property tax hike. Booker assured the city during his announcement, however, that police and firefighters will be untouched by the changes.

Booker says the sacrifices are needed to avoid future layoffs and combat a multimillion-dollar deficit. The mayor also announced top city staffers will take a 2 percent pay cut and he himself will take a 7 percent cut.

The furloughs are scheduled to begin July 1. There will be six in 2009 and 12 in 2010.

"If we all sacrifice together ... we all benefit together and avoid potential layoffs," says Booker.