By Staff
November 18th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
This first Motion to amend the Mayor’s Budget was submitted by the Finance and Transit departments
2024 Budget Amendment
FROM: Transit & Finance Departments
Motion for Council to Consider:
Amend the 2024 budget for the Conventional Transit Service to reflect a $238,000 increase in fare revenue, a $200,000 increase in advertising revenue and a $200,000 increase in diesel expenditures resulting in a net decrease to the 2024 budget of $238,000.
Reason:
Since the time staff finalized the draft 2024 Budget for the Conventional Transit Service additional analysis has been undertaken and new information has come forward.
Based on strong ridership trends in the latter half of 2023, staff are now forecasting 2023 revenues to meeting the 2023 budget of $5.4M. As a result, it is recommended that the 2024 Budget for fare revenues be increased by $238,000. This reduces decreased transit fare revenues identified on page 722 of the Financial Needs and Multi-Year forecast book from $353,000 to $115,000.
Subsequent to the time the draft budget was prepared a competitive bid process has been finalized to secure a new bus shelter advertising partner. While the results of this procurement are still being finalized, they are nearing completion. Based on the preliminary results, staff are recommending that the budget for advertising revenues be increased by $200,000.
Staff have recently undertaken a further review of diesel expenditures. Based on recent trends and forecasted elevated fuel prices into 2024 it is recommended that the 2024 Diesel budget be increased by $200,000.
Motion Seconded by: Not Required Share with Senior Staff
Approved as per form by the City Clerk,
Reviewed by the City Manager – In accordance with the Code of Good Governance, Council-Staff Relations Policy and an assessment of the internal capacity within the City to complete the work based on a specific target date (quarter/year).
Comments:
City Clerk: none
City Manager: none
Winston Churchill word salad about beginnings and endings.
The staff is finally standing up for their dignity.
Transit is a necessity. Ridership is up? So what. There was still a 4.5 m loss in 2022. How about improving service before throwing more money at this. They already allocating an extra 2.45 m to transit in 2024. The majority of people are ok to maintain services. But more want to see it decreased than increased. So what do they do? Buy 4 more buses, hire more drivers and best of all more managers. They just love stuffing city hall full of management. The point is there is already way more $ being allocated to transit than justified or wanted by taxpayers. This mayor & council have a penchant for appeasing minority wants.