“I’m prepared for the onslaught tomorrow at the Four Corners A&P,” said Doug Craig, who represents Ward 9.
Grim-faced city councillors walked out the doors of Tom Davies Square at 10:30 pm Monday knowing they’d face a lot of criticism for the six percent tax increase they just approved.
It took a full seven hours for council to nip and tuck budget enhancement options - while also desperately looking for funding sources - in order to arrive at the levy.
The six percent increase includes a 2.3 percent capital levy. This translates to about $182 for a home valued at $180,000, or $101 for every $100,000 in a property’s assessed value.
Council also approved a 5.7 percent increase to the city’s water and wastewater rate, or $58 for a homeowner consuming 360 cubic metres of water.
Unlike last year, the 2008 municipal budget didn’t receive unanimous support of council, including the chair of the finance committee, Ted Callaghan.
The Ward 8 councillor, along with Ward 10 Councillor Frances Caldarelli and Ward 1 Councillor Joe Cimino voted against the budget.
“I know in my heart, and I know what is acceptable in this community,” Callaghan said, shaking his head about the results.
Prior to the start of the budget deliberation process, he stated the Greater Sudbury community would not tolerate an increase over five percent.
However, Greater Sudbury Mayor John Rodriguez told council he was “proud” of the way it handled the budget process, especially when it came to making tough decisions. [See editorial on Page 8.]
“The federal government dropped the ball and we have to pick it up.”
Calling it an “infrastructure budget,” the mayor said he wasn’t worried about the response of residents because their decision was very “defendable.”
Lightening the mood, he joked: “If I see one more slide show by Councillor [Andre] Rivest, I’m going to wake up screaming.”
Rivest, who earned the moniker “the roads man,” a few years back is an avid proponent of fixing the city’s aging roads and focusing on new ones, like the Barry Downe extension.
At a priorities meeting in November, he went over a five-minute time limit he was given for a slide show on summer roads maintenance. Chair Janet Gasparini summarily cut him off ending his presentation, prompting Rivest to walk out of the meeting.
The new budget includes $63.2 million for road construction and maintenance projects, including:
- resurfacing - Garson-Coniston Road, Lansing Ave., MR 55 (Lively)
- resurfacing/reconstruction - Marcel St.
- new roadways - Kingsway four-laning, Long Lake Rd. bypass
- major upgrades - Main St. Val Caron), MR 80 (Val Caron)
- pre-engineering costs - Maley Dr.
- $3.7 million in culvert and bridge repairs.
Budget highlights:
- Total municipal budget - $514 million
- Revenue generated through property taxes - $177 million
- Provincial education tax rate might reduce taxes by .9 percent to 5.1 percent.
- 43 percent of taxes collected go to services mandated by the province.
- 1.8 percent of the tax levy is spent of new on existing municipal services.
- $690,000 will be invested in homeless shelters.
- 2.95 percent for city vehicle replacement and equipment.
- $881,000 for EMS vehicles and equipment.
- $794,000 for fire vehicles and equipment.
- $1.65 million for police services including vehicles, equipment and supplies.
- Elderly tax assistance credit will increase to $200.
