Hold the line: It’s not naive at all

It’s not naive at all to expect city departments and services to hold the line on rate increases during difficult times!

It is simply a matter of prioritization. There are three levels of priorities. Those that are absolutely necessary, those that should be addressed and those that are nice to haves or do.

In tough times it is often necessary to shelve the nice to haves and possibly defer some of the should be addressed items.

Council can direct their departments and service organizations to submit budgets based upon a specified amount or level. The amount may even be less than previous yearly budgeted amounts. Typically, such directions request Departments to submit a zero-based budget, a budget that reduces costs by 2.5 per cent and 5 per cent in case such reductions are absolutely necessary. And, projects and purchases that are not absolutely necessary can either be eliminated or deferred. It can be done!

Surprisingly such challenges by council can often be easily met. “Been there, done that in a large public organization!”

What are the results of holding the line and possibly reducing rate increases? From a typical homeowner user perspective such changes in service costs are not recognizable other than cost savings.

From a business owner’s perspective reduced costs can result in new hires and a motivation to grow their business.

What are the results of excessive increases? The number of financially challenged increases and the gap between affordability and unaffordability widens. Not a nice result.

Unfortunately, the common cause of councils feeling free to make such rate increases that exceed what should be expected is an attitude of acceptance by the general public that they have no authority over such decisions and they will increase rates regardless. I really hope that in the next municipal election some candidates will step up that are willing to deal with holding the line on rate increases when necessary.

Ross Nightingale Westridge Blvd.