By Pepper Parr
February 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The budget was done – out came the rubber stamp – but they didn’t use it. There were a couple of minor amendments.
There was one delegation – the Marsden’s saying they had researched James Ridge the new manager and they approved of him.
City taxes for Burlington home owners will increase 3.64% over what they were last tear.
Dennison, on the left, explaining the budget to a resident. Dennison felt the revenue side of the budget could have been increased by $400,000.
The decision to adopt the budget was not unanimous – Councilor Dennison had wanted to add two revenue items – each worth $200,000 to the budget. His colleagues didn’t agree with him – so Jack decided he would not vote for the budget.
The city media release calls the 2015 operating budget one with a continued focus on ensuring cost effective service delivery, strategic investment in infrastructure and additional funding to address climate change events such as the ice storm and August 2014 flood.
2015 marks the first time the budget has been presented in a new service-based budget approach. Budget highlights include:
Aligning existing service delivery costs with inflation.
Not sure how an increase of 3.64% is described as aligned with inflation which is currently less than 2%
An additional $1.745 million of funding dedicated to the renewal of the city’s aging infrastructure
$4.5 million of funding for flood mitigation measures
$900,000 to expand transit service and increase support for Heritage, the Sound of Music Festival and the Art Gallery of Burlington.
“This budget is based on services rather than by departments. It gives a more transparent view of how tax dollars are invested and that is significant,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “Once again, staff and City Council have found a way to balance the excellent quality of life we enjoy in Burlington with the long-term financial planning we rely on, all the while keeping taxes competitive with other municipalities.”
The Mayor chose not to mention that the twenty year forecast has tax increases at the 4% level for a long time.
The 2015 Budget includes a 3.64 per cent increase in the city’s portion of property taxes. When combined with Halton Region and the boards of education, the overall property tax increase is 2.06 per cent or $18.08 for each $100,000 of residential urban assessment.
That statement is true – but it is also very misleading. Burlington has zero impact on the education budget – that is set by the province. Burlington’s director of finance gets a number from the province and is told how much to collect and where to send it.
Not much different with the Region. Burlington sends seven people to the 21 member Regional Council. We have input, we have some sway – but not as much as Oakville, even though they have the same number of representatives on the Regional Council – they are just much more effective than the Burlington members.
Burlington’s city council is responsible for Burlington’s budget and it is that on which their performance should be measured.
It is confusing to give out a number that is not ours.
They used to call a person who gave out misleading information a “flim flam” man.
Telling people the tax increase is 2.08% more than it was the previous year is true – but we can’t take credit for that. We are responsible for the 3.64 % increase in our own spending.
It would be well worth knowing how councillor Dennison proposed to increase the revenue by $400,000
The additional revenue mat have reduced the increase, something most would welcome.
Perhaps he could be persuaded to tell us.
To raise our taxes…they will first have to give us services…they can’t even clean our streets properly following a snow storm, Hamilton has a much more efficient service. I pay taxes through the nose and my street still has snow from the last storm!!!!
Mayor Goldring must have bruises on his back from patting himself on the back so much, but 3.64% is nothing to be pleased about or proud of.
As Pepper Parr wrote: “Burlington’s city council is responsible for Burlington’s budget and it is that on which their performance should be measured.” – Burlington’s council can’t take credit for low regional and education tax increases, which result in the lower total increase.