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Marianne Wilkinson

Councillor, Kanata North

Budget

Next week Council will start the formal budget proceedings by approving the budgetguidelines. The draft of these guidelines that will be considered on January 10th & 11thcalls for:1. maintaining current programs at current service levels2. providing provincially mandated and cost-shared programs3. providing for services due to growth in population and new infrastructure4. an increase of 1% in taxation to fund strategic initiative capital projects5. an increase in user fees6. additional income from assessment growth from new properties7. deferring an increase in the corporate efficiency target8. a 0% tax increase

Since the Cities long range financial plan shows that the above guidelines cannot beachieved using the same criteria followed in 2006 staff have also provided strategies toeliminate the difference between expenditures and revenues. These include deferral ofservice enhancements; use of provincial gas tax revenues where possible; using debt ratherthan tax dollars for capital programs (i.e. deferring pay as you go); seeking our fair share ofcost-sharing program funding from the province; seeking one-time sources of funding;additional increases in user fees; program reductions; and use of existing reserves foroperational requirements.

Since the financial plan shows a shortfall of $95 million (about a 10% tax increase if

implemented) achieving these guidelines without major program reductions will be verydifficult. Much of the City budget is already set. The province sets the rules, includingfunding levels, for social, housing and health programs; the Police Board has approvalauthority on the Police Budget which Council, by law, cannot amend; most staff areunionized and all but one union has an existing contract that will increase salaries by 3% in2007.

That's the challenge. I believe there is much we can do in reorganizing the way the Citycarries out business that will lead to long-term decreases in costs and will be working withthe Mayor to achieve such savings. I am prepared to use some reserves in 2007 as a one-time means of gaining the time to implement such long-term savings. I am also interestedin finding ways that we can do things within our own community that would maintain andsometimes increase service or maintenance levels and save tax dollars. The enhancementof Sue Nickerson Park by local residents; the adoption of Kanata Avenue by a localbusiness; the vigilance of local Neighbourhood Watch Groups and the improvement to thecommunity sign by the Beaverbrook Community Association are examples. Consider whatyou could do to improve your neighbourhood.

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If you have ideas for the budget guidelines please send them to me, contact my office tomeet with me, or make a presentation to Council on January 10th (contact Dawn Whelan613-580-2424 ext. 21837, Dawn.Whelan@ottawa.ca to book a time).

You can reach me at city hall by calling 613-580-2474, fax 613-580-2514, email

Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca. I appreciate receiving your comments and suggestions.

mailto:Dawn.Whelan@ottawa.camailto:Dawn.Whelan@ottawa.ca