Snow and ice beats cycling network in early city budget showdown
A downtown cycling network and increased spending on ice and snow maintenance went head to head at City of Saskatoon budget talks Monday.
Snow and ice won.
Coun. Hilary Gough made a motion to spend $350,000 more in 2018 to help implement a downtown cycling network, but eventually withdrew the request.
Gough suggested she was prepared to spend less than the proposed increase for snow and ice maintenance in 2018, freeing up some money for the cycling project.
Coun. Ann Iwanchuk, the strongest supporter of increased spending on snow and ice, said snow clearing is essential for an active transportation plan and cycling networks.
“This isn’t the Ann Iwanchuk project,” she said. “This is the citizens of Saskatoon project.”
It never became completely clear whether the extra spending on the cycling network would have increased the property tax hike for 2018 or come from a reserve fund.
Gough pointed out that council voted to keep the contentious downtown bike lanes until June, when a plan for a downtown cycling network is expected. She objected to getting a report when insufficient funding was in place to implement any plan.
Other councillors voiced objection to the increased funding.
Through about six hours of budget talks on Monday, the proposed property tax increase for 2018 remained unchanged at 4.96 per cent. The debate on increased spending for snow and ice maintenance was expected to happen later Monday night.
Earlier Monday, city council unanimously passed the 2018 budgets for the police and public library.
The police budget climbs to $99.4 million in 2018, an increase of 3.25 per cent over 2017, but with no additional patrol officers.
Acting police Chief Mark Chatterbok acknowledged increased costs are expected for impaired driving enforcement with the pending legalization of cannabis expected midway through 2018. He added the number of crimes connected to methamphetamine use is rising.
“The problem is getting worse, it’s not getting better,” Chatterbok said.