Cutting street lighting, closing recycling centres and hiking the cost of parking fees and permits are amid a raft of options presented to city councillors as the authority looks to shave nearly £40 million from its spending.
Leaders have not ruled out any of the cuts, with the council facing a £38.3 million black hole if they decide on a 3% council tax rise.
Last year saving cuts and savings of more than £40 million were imposed – slashing the likes of grass cutting, introducing a £30 brown bin tax and raising council tax.
And proposals presented this year could mean more bad news for maintenance across the city – with cuts proposed to the likes of street lighting, street sweeping, park maintenance, grass cutting and public toilets, which could be closed.
Education could also be hit hard, with the potential for janitorial maintenance to be reduced and all school crossing patrollers to be let go.
The price of school dinners could also increase, while free provision of fruit and bread and provision of milk could stop.
The music service could also be abandoned.
Dyce recycling centre could also face the axe under the options.
Associated organisations like Sport Aberdeen, Aberdeen Sports Village and Aberdeen Performing Arts could face severe reductions in funding, while another option would remove all support to a council-backed charity in Zimbabwe.
And a number of costs, like burial fees, parking permits and parking charges, could go up to help balance the books.
Council officers have drawn up the proposals but each political group will decide which to take forward at the crunch budget meeting next Tuesday.
The potential cuts amount to more than the needed savings, meaning the groups will have to make tough choices of what they would look to save.
The ruling Conservative, Aberdeen Labour and independent administration have long blamed decreasing Scottish Government grants – and increased responsibilities in the likes of childcare – for the situation.
But opposition groups have often pointed to the coalition’s own spending choices while in office – including grand multi-million pound projects like the Union Terrace Gardens renovation.
A report to councillors reads: “In order to achieve a balanced budget it requires the implementation of a range of changes that will affect both income and expenditure, changes have to be recurring if they are to address financial sustainability.”
However its authors add that the total value of the local authority has been calculated at £1.3 billion.
Aberdeen faces more scrutiny than most other councils due to the 2016 issuing of a bond on the London Stock Exchange and the awarding of a credit rating.
The authority used the money, amounting to more than £300 million, for capital projects across the city.
Opposition SNP group leader Alex Nicoll said: “The council obviously has a number of difficult decisions to make in terms of balancing the books, a situation compounded by the Tory-led administration’s spend, spend, spend attitude – which has us spending £46 million on debt repayments this year alone.
“The SNP Group will certainly not be entertaining cuts to the milk and fruit that pupils in our schools currently get.
“These young people are the future of our city and it’s well known hungry pupils find it difficult to concentrate and learn.
“We need to ensure they are in a position to learn at school and not sitting hungry.”
Opposition Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill said: “These savings are once again being served on the council both because of the Scottish Government’s inadequate funding settlement and the current coalition’s debt they have raised over the past eight years.
“We are still preparing our proposals.”
Council co-leader Douglas Lumsden said: “I think we have these budget options because of the horrendous financial settlement we have once again got from the Scottish Government.
“We are still trawling through every line but it is clear that there are very tough decisions to make ahead.
“There are no easy options, but it is important to emphasise that these are only options at this stage and councillors will make their final choices at the meeting.”