By Pepper Parr
December 9th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a terrible budget process – everyone of them came out with mud all over themselves. Nisan the budget chair displayed some nasty habits.
It looks, at this point, that a tax increase of 5.47 % has been whittled down to 4.46% for 2022.
It has been a struggle and a lot of backing away from hard held positions.
City Manager Tim Commisso explained to Councillors that they were in the process of setting a $1 billion budget
The finance people have been put through a wringer – they have had to come back again and again to justify and explain what was very difficult for many Councillors.
That Standing Committee recommendation now goes to council where changes can be made – but they are much harder to make at the Council level.
Four budget motions were brought to the table; all created by Councillor Stolte and Mayor Meed Ward who have not been known for working all that well together.
Some hatchets were buried and this Standing Committee approved some budget changes.
One last vote – to get the amended budget passed at the Standing Committee level this afternoon.
Later ….
They got there, they voted and there is a recommendation that goes to Council on the 14th.
Don’t think it is over yet.
Some of the people who voted for the recommendation can now sponsor a reconsider – only people who voted for the recommendation can ask that their vote be reconsidered.
