By Pepper Parr
February 23rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It was late; 9:45 pm. They had been going at it since 9:30 in the morning.
City Council was doing their best to get a budget increase of 3.99% that they could take to council on March 3rd.
They didn’t make it in Tuesday.
The budget number when the adjourned was at 4.18% – they needed to find $343,735 in savings to get to the 3.99%.
The schedule called for a follow up meeting on Thursday – maybe they will find the savings then.
At times it was a bit of a gong show. At one point they were arguing over how they would vote against something that had no amount attached to it.
On another occasion the Chair, Rory Nisan, went to call the vote on an item and had to be informed that it had been withdrawn. Nisan had stepped away from his seat.
Everyone needs a break – the Gazette will get up bright and early on Wednesday and report on what they did get done.
We will tell you all about the budget item that had to be discussed in a CLOSED session.
We also learned that the city does not have an employee suggestion box. Does that say something?
Anyone of you three bought gas lately, been to a lumber yard, installed a concrete pad or paid for insurance ? Last time I checked these pillars of operational expenses have been outpacing the cost of living. The city is not overpaying staff if that is something you feel is actually happening. Ask Oakville. As the board of directors (council) are responsible for what is done and not done, lets not blame staff. Their job is to advise and execute the BOD honey-doo list. If you have been to a park, the pier, the performing Arts Centre, the pool, your cleared sidewalk in February, in your car on your tertiary road, had a dead tree removed in the local forest you walk in, smiled at seeing your grandchild on a newly constructed playground……then these are all the benefits of living in this city. The number becomes irrelevant if you truly enjoy what the city provides. Look around to neighbouring communities and tell me Burlington is doing it wrong. The tale is the same everywhere. I am more concerned with short term thinking and solutions which cause more damage and expense down the road.
3.99% is still too much!
An increase of 3.99% (4.00%) an arbitrary number set by the mayor, is acceptable? Give me a break! There was a time that a 2% increase seemed standard for council. Let’s really roll up our sleeves, and get this number down. It can be done, and must be done.
The process is an indictment of how much this mayor and council are out of touch! The goal is 3.99%–WHY? The department managers should have been tasked with producing a ZERO percent increase; instead of a careful line-item analysis, all the department managers have done is what they’ve always done–last year’s number ++++++. With high unemployment, business bankruptcies, and stagnant (if not falling) incomes, this mayor and council raise taxes. What economic theory prescribes this solution to our economic problems? The problem really is political–this mayor and council subscribe to the same economic principles as their Liberal colleagues in Ottawa: tax and spend, tax and spend, tax and spend. Let’s remember these politicians at the next election–Canada is being destroyed with this kind of economic lunacy.
As I wrote before decrease non essential services, such as grants to various organizations. If not, I know whose salaries could be reduced.