Nisan wants specific one year staff cuts to the 2022 budget

By Pepper Parr

November 29th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

Each member of Council has the opportunity to put forward a motion that sets out the changes they want to see to the budget staff has put forward.

Keep in mind that taxpayers are looking at a pretty stiff budget increases and that Staff don’t see tax increases falling below 4% a year for the next five years.

Also, keep in mind that 2022 will be an election year.

Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan wants to direct staff to reduce the budget by removing the following items:

• Dedicated operations space for building/bylaw ($110k)
• Remove BI (Business information)position ($114k)
• Remove bus cleaning/maintain status quo with external contractors ($223k)
• Remove committee services, deputy clerk position ($157k)
• Manager, total rewards and analytics ($157k)

Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan wants to use staff cuts to keep the tax levy down.

Overall rationale:
With COVID-19’s economic impacts, council needs to be more careful than ever in balancing costs for our taxpayers and mitigating organizational risk. The following projects very narrowly weigh towards delays and temporary de-prioritization to provide tax relief for 2022.

I would like this request to be brought forward again for 2023. With lower use of buses at present, we can manage the risk of an inferior outcome in terms of cleanliness for 2022.

• Remove clerk position ($157k)
I would like the city manager to seek short term internal support, internal re-assignment, one-time contracting and/or external contracts for projects to mitigate risk. I would like the position to be brought forward again in 2023.

• Manager, total rewards and analytics ($157k)
I would like to see this position brought forward in 2023 and if needed that there be internal reorganization and prioritization.

Outcome Sought:
Budget approval.