Budget deliberations an eyeopener for first-term councillors

Creating a four-year operating budget for a corporation such as the City of Lethbridge is no small feat.

So first-term city councillors Mark Campbell and Belinda Crowson, both elected in October 2017, have had their eyes opened to the process this week.

They, along with their colleagues on Lethbridge City Council, are meeting as Finance Committee this week for deliberations on the 2019 to 2022 budget, spending time wading through all of the 97 initiatives presented to determine if the projected tax increase of 1.6 per cent per year for four years will stay or change.

“I knew that going in it was going to be very daunting because there is so many numbers, so many proposals brought forth,” Campbell said at lunch break Wednesday, midway through the initial allotted time this week.

Crowson added she's trying to look at all the options.

“What's actually important, are there better ways we can pay for it? Sometimes it’s a straight ‘no’ and sometimes it’s making sure we do the research to find a better ‘yes’,” she said.

“I’m actually enjoying the process because I love that kind of problem solving. It’s a very interesting process to go through and I’m glad we do it as a group of nine.”

Facts and information will help in the coming days as voting progresses, Crowson says.

“The more facts we have, the more evidence we have, the easier it is to make decisions. This has been great, the first two-and-a-half days, of not only understanding better from our perspective, but the questions help us understand how our colleagues see it as well. That really helps in the decision making,” she said.

“This is how we make changes. The main way that council can do anything is through budget, and so this gives us an amazing opportunity to set the vision.”

“There are many things that I am passionate about, and I want to see passed, but at the same time you have to make some considerations for the people who elected you,” Campbell said.

“It’s the most important thing that we’re going to do. And to have the discussion we’re having, and we have had in the last few days — should we go longer than we’re supposed to? I think that’s really important we do that to make sure that we make the decisions; come up with the right answers.”

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