By Staff
September 10th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
We know at least one person who will be taking part in the meetings on the budget that will be taking place in every ward. The first one takes place on Wednesday evening.
Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Port Nelson United Church, 3132 South Dr.
Monday, Sept. 23, 7 to 8:30 p.m., La Salle Park Pavilion, 50 North Shore Blvd. E.
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Haber Recreation Centre, 3040 Tim Dobbie Dr., Room 1
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Central Arena, 519 Drury Ln., Auditorium
Thursday, Oct. 3, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Appleby Ice Centre, 1201 Appleby Line, Community Room 1
Tuesday, Oct. 8, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Brant Hills Community Centre, 2255 Brant St., Community Room 1
Joe Gatean, a high rise resident on Maple Avenue has some questions you might want to ask:
COB Mayor’s Budget 2025 – Did you know.
If you plan on attending one of the 2025 Mayor’s budget meetings, the 2025 Budget | Get Involved Burlington web link contains F-19-23, the 2023 BMA Management Consulting Inc. financial condition assessment that came before council on June 13,2023. The document contains the following ”Cautions”:
Assessment growth – Growth is lower than the peer average.
Commercial Office Vacancy – Vacancy rate has grown substantially, higher than Halton average.
Property Taxes on a Multi-Residential HighRise Unit – Above the comparator average
Property Taxes on Neighborhood Shopping per sq. ft. – Above the comparator average
Property Taxes on an Industrial Building per sq. ft. – Caution Above the comparator average
My question is, where is the 2024 BMA Management Consulting Inc. financial report condition assessment document.
If you live in a “Multi-Residential High-Rise Unit, own a Neighborhood Shopping concern, or an Industrial Building, according to the 2023 report your property taxes are above the comparator average, and you need to ask the Mayor why and what she is going to do about normalizing your tax burden as it is her budget.
Expect to see the Mayor wearing her Coronation pin. She wore it during today’s council meeting.
Mayor Meed Ward already knows what she is going to say: “It’s vital to hear from residents as we prepare the 2025 budget. The annual budget reflects our priorities as a community. Your views help shape how council will amend and ultimately vote.
“As I prepare the budget for consideration by the public and council, my plan is to focus on four key areas: Affordability, Livability, Sustainability and Transparency. I encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to share your input.”
I know of one councillor who will not be attending the Mayor’s budget meeting.
It will be interesting to see if any of the other councillors will opt to have their own ward budget meetings and pass on the Mayor’s.
Will a 2025 Pre-Budget be presented at these Meetings so that Residents can review, discuss and ask questions about it??
What’s the point of these meetings if Residents can’t see the 2025 Pre-Budget and what is included in it ahead of these meetings??
Once again our Mayor is “putting the cart before the horse!!”.