San Jose officials are asking taxpayers and city workers to take part in helping the city reduce its $96.4 million deficit.

The City Council voted 10-1 Thursday on guidelines for city administrators in preparing the 2010-2011 budget.

Among those directions for administrators is a proposal for a quarter-cent sales tax that would raise an estimated $33 million. Also being considered is a higher business tax that could bring in as much as $13 million, or a parking-lot tax that would raise about $4.5 million.

The approved guidelines also provides direction to city managers in negotiating labor contracts for nine of the city's 11 employee unions.

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The vote by the City Council comes as San Jose operates in its ninth straight year of a deficit.

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Information from: San Jose Mercury News, http://www.sjmercury.com