Several tents still stand near Toronto City Hall on Wednesday in protest of cuts included in the city's 2012 budget, after a toned-down version was passed by city council the previous day.

A group of protesters camped outside the provincial courthouse next to city hall overnight, but Mayor Rob Ford said the protesters shouldn't expect to stay.

"They're not supposed to be there and they're going to be asked to leave just like what we did at St. James Park," Ford told CP24 on Wednesday.

Four men in their 20s were arrested on Tuesday after hundreds of protesters clashed with officers in Nathan Phillips Square, while city council debated a budget proposal inside city hall.

Council voted in 39-5 favour of the operating budget after it had been adjusted to return some $15 million to city services that had been lined up for cuts.

The amended 2012 operating budget was passed 39-5, with Mayor Rob Ford and Coun. Doug Ford voting against it.

Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti told CTV Toronto on Wednesday that the budget sets the tone at city hall.

"I think that this administration is clear in terms of what we'd like to," he said. "It's the start of where we'd like to go and when we're finished, we'd like to re-prioritize what we do in this city and return the proper services to the people who've been waiting for them."

Some of the services and programs protected by the amended budget include $5 million to the TTC to help prevent service cuts, $3.9 million to prevent proposed cuts to libraries and $670,000 to restore childcare centre programming.

Coun. Josh Colle, the councillor behind the motion that saved $15 million worth of services, said that he's been busy on Wednesday.

"It's been a nice positive response but ultimately, I think it's good to see council work the way it should," he said. "I mean, it's always tough to corral 45 members of council."

The 23 votes Colle received was enough to save pools and shelters, keep arenas open on weekdays and continue mechanical leaf pickup.

Coun. Gary Crawford said that there are no winners or losers with the budget.

"We've really put forward what we'd like to do as a city and I think that is what was shown last night," Crawford said. "We have a strong foothold to move forward, I think we need to grasp that and figure out how to move forward in the next couple of years."

The budget, however, means that more than 1,100 positions will be cut from payroll in the city.

"We've lost 107 full time equivalent library workers, we've lost some other union workers, and we've lost some other inside workers. We have lost staff," Coun. Sarah Doucette said.

Mike Del Grande, budget committee chairperson, said that the budget marks a turning point in the city's history.

"While not there just yet, the city is beginning to secure predictable, sustainable revenue sources to fund everyday expenses," he said in a press release on Tuesday.

Del Grande said on Wednesday that he is unlikely to serve again as budget chief.

"There's a shuffle that occurs sometime this year and I'm not sure exactly where I'm going to be," he said, telling CTV Toronto's Natalie Johnson that he'd be happy being a regular councillor.

Mayor Ford, however, said that he thinks Del Grande is a "fantastic" budget chief and he would like to see him stay in his current position.

Despite voting against the amended budget, Mayor Ford called it a "huge victory."

"I saved the taxpayers $140 million, how can you say we lost," he said at a press conference on Tuesday night.

Earlier on Tuesday, council approved a 2.5 per cent property tax increase. The residential tax increase translates to an increase of $60 for the average homeowner.

The budget also includes a 0.83 per cent tax increase for businesses and a 10-cent fare increase for TTC customers.

With files from CTV Toronto's Natalie Johnson