Colorado Springs could trim $135 million a year from its budget by hiring private companies to repave streets, mow grass in parks and plow snow -- work currently done by city workers using city equipment, a group of contractors told an advisory committee Tuesday.

"Everything will start to diminish," said Paul Kleinschmidt with Rocky Mountain Premix, who helped form Citizens Coalition for Limited Government, a group of about 40 contractors.

Speaking to the City Councilappointed Sustainable Funding Committee, Kleinschmidt urged the panel to consider recommending the council scale back over five years construction work that could be done by private businesses.

The committee is charged with recommending how to deal with a projected $23 million shortfall next year and funding city services in the long term.