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CHARLOTTE – Dozens of speakers packed the Mecklenburg County Government Center Thursday evening to discuss the proposed $1.4 billion budget unveiled last week.

The spending plan is expected to force hundreds of layoffs, cut millions of dollars from county departments and trim the funding for several nonprofit groups.

County Services, which is proposed to lose a total of $38 million next budget year, and nonprofit groups dominated the hours-long budget public hearing.

Several speakers urged commissioners to avoid cuts in the area of mental health. The county department is slated to be reduced by $7 million next year.

“[I] really just urge you in your deliberations to consider the ramifications of further cutting mental health services and what it will do to this community and our schools,” Lynn Crutchfield said.

United in red jackets and hats, several former Marines thanked Mecklenburg County for not cutting any veterans’ services next year. However, they warned of growing veterans’ needs on the horizon.

“Our country is fighting two wars, and because of this, we’re going to have that many more veterans that are coming back,” Walter Padgett, of the Mecklenburg County Veterans Council, said.

One group absent was from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which could lose $34 million from the county next year. No parents, PTA members or district officials made public comments, which the Mecklenburg County budget director said was very unusual.

County commissioners will exchange ideas on what they want added or taken out of the budget next month. They are scheduled to official approve the spending plan at their June 16 meeting.