A little off the top

Proposed tax levy increase cut from 13.3 per cent to 8.1 per cent

Council managed to shave about a million dollars or about five per cent from the proposed tax levy increase as part of budget deliberations on Monday.

Council agreed to take $500,000 from last year’s budget surplus and use it to offset costs in 2012. They also pruned about $200,000 in winter road maintenance costs, betting on another mild winter—at least November and December. Other cuts were made to the CAO’s budget—nipping about $71,000 from the total. The economic development budget was frozen at last year’s amount pending the outcome of the Community Development initiative.

Money has also been trimmed from repairs to fire halls—some of which could close as a result of a review of fire services currently under way.

Council also agreed to freeze their pay at 2011 levels effective May 1.

“We went through every department and councillors had an opportunity talk about their ideas for reductions,” said Mayor Peter Mertens. “There were some substantial hits.”

Council will have at least one more chance to trim the budget further next week.

But it wasn’t all cuts on Monday. Council added money to the library budget. It also earmarked $25,000 for a review of the efficiency and composition of council.

COUNCIL SIZE RAISES ITS HEAD AGAIN
During the last municipal election, voters were asked if they were in favour of commencing a public consultation process to review the size of council. Nearly 81 per cent of respondents to the ballot question said yes. But so far, council has resisted dealing with the issue. Some contend they were elected to address other, more pressing, issues.

Some have also argued that, the despite the ballot question result, most residents don’t want council to spend any more time on a contentious issue that has deadlocked council twice before.

For many residents the issue is about fairness and equity. For example Wellington’s councillor represents twice as many constituents as the councillor for Bloomfield.

Others complain that a 16-member council is cumbersome and inefficient for a community of this size.

It seems the debate begins anew.