91原创 City council is going with a 2.71 per cent tax increase after several cost-cutting motions by Councillor Dave Hall failed to gain any traction with other civic leaders.
Again this year the budget debate during public meetings turned contentious between those on council.
Hall opened his budget statement by acknowledging resident Paul Albrecht: 芒鈧搕he one and only person to show up at the [budget] open house.芒鈧�
芒鈧揑 would have expected other people considering running for a council seat in the next election,芒鈧� Hall went on to say.
Coun. Gayle Martin challenged Hall芒鈧劉s comments.
芒鈧揥e芒鈧劉re dealing with the bylaw 2931, not the upcoming election and who芒鈧劉s running and who shouldn芒鈧劉t run and who should be here and who shouldn芒鈧劉t be here,芒鈧� she said.
Hall said his comments were introduction to his discussion of the budget bylaw. The cuts and reallocations concerned the Penzer Bike Park, mayor and council remuneration, the infrastructure levy, the floodplain, dog off leash areas, community gardens and the Douglas Park sports box.
芒鈧揗y amendments that I propose are not only an attempt to reduce taxes芒鈧� but also a more effective delivery of some of the capital items,芒鈧� he said.
He proposed 11 budget amendments and cuts. None was seconded by others on council so the cuts would not be discussed and council approved the budget as presented with the 2.71 per cent tax increase.
芒鈧揘ot everybody is 100 per cent happy with the budget,芒鈧� Martin said.
She said council tries to 芒鈧搑ule芒鈧� by consensus.
芒鈧揇emocracy is not fighting until you get your own way,芒鈧� Martin said.
She said the councillors have different priorities but must work together.
芒鈧揑 won芒鈧劉t put comments on Facebooks about how dysfunctional council and the mayor is. I wouldn芒鈧劉t do that,芒鈧� commented Martin.
In response, Hall said the debate was supposed to be about the budget and the items in that plan.
芒鈧揑t is an attack on an individual芒鈧劉s right and opportunity to speak to their public through the media,芒鈧� he said.
芒鈧揑 was not directing my comments at anybody,芒鈧� Martin said.
Hall called on Acting Mayor Ted Schaffer to keep the discussion on topic.
芒鈧揑芒鈧劉m asking both colleagues to keep their remarks to this bylaw,芒鈧� Schaffer said.
芒鈧揑 won芒鈧劉t lower myself to the level of some councillors that use the media to do that,芒鈧� Martin commented.
She noted that the public input does not go unheard .
芒鈧揟here芒鈧劉s several seniors sitting around this table,芒鈧� she said about City council.
But costs rise and the City must factor that into the budget.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s unfortunately a way of life,芒鈧� Martin said.
She added that the public has told council not to cut services but to increase taxes.
芒鈧揥hen we started with this budget we were at a five or six per per cent tax increase,芒鈧� she noted.
