Regarding the 2010 budget I would like to express a few comments.
As a Councillor we look at a business plan in June and give Administration some direction regarding service levels. Administration spends the entire summer toiling over budget preparation and four months later Council is told it’s a proposed tax increase of 5.3% and if we want to add anything from the “wish list” that every $221,000 means an additional 1% tax increase. Of course there are no suggestions for any reductions since that was not Council’s direction. We deliberate for several days and evenings and when the drum rolled on Nov. 18th, we were told we were up to 8.2% plus we had a shortfall of 12 million dollars for this year’s capital.
I was told at that time that the budget is our job and that it is time for us to roll up our sleeves but in my opinion, we as Council don’t. Night after night deliberating the “wish list”, we finally tell Administration what our comfort level is for a tax increase and send them back to the table to start over. I shake my head and say that since it is suppose to be our job, we have to roll up our sleeves and we have to get back to reviewing the budget line by line and dig as deep as we can and find out why our costs are up, if there are efficiencies that can be realized or if service level changes are necessary and as a last resort, bring out the old axe and start cutting. But alas, I have been told that Council will not do line by line budgeting.
I struggled with even having to suggest a 3% tax increase because I know that every percent taxes go up, it means taxpayers and businesses will have less disposable income and I realize that some people and businesses are already struggling to make ends meet. Personally, I think we have to get back to basic budgeting:
a)What makes up each expense item – line by line, and what is a “need” or a “nice to have”;
b)What our best projected revenue will be;
c)If revenues drop, then expenditures drop to;
d)If we can’t afford the items from the wish list – realize new items will have to wait until we can afford them. The person making the request may feel it’s not fair; but tough times call for tough measures; and lastly
e)If we say we’re going to be fiscally responsible, then be fiscally responsible!
That’s how I really feel.
Gale Katchur, City Council
