KINGSTON – The Bennett, Kielson accounting consultants are going over Ulster County Executive Michael Hein’s proposed 2010 budget with a fine tooth comb.

The county legislature hired the company, which does similar work for most other area counties, and it will present its finding and recommendations in the next few weeks.

County Legislature Chairman David Donaldson is hopeful lawmakers will be able to save some of the 30 jobs that are slated for layoff. Another area of the budget is under review as well, he said.

“I was advised that most likely the sales tax projection that the county exec gave us is really a little higher than what we probably should be putting in there,” he said.

Hein’s proposed budget comes in at just under $77 million with a tax levy increase of less than 3.5 percent.