Telephone town hall on budget draws 4,000-plus
Residents provide feedback on a subjects that include a 3.98% take hike in 2019
Outdoor pools, paratransit and affordable housing were some of the items on St. Catharines residents’ priority lists Tuesday night during the city’s telephone town hall about the budget.
Thirty thousand St. Catharines homes were randomly called between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. to elicit input about the city’s money matters. The feedback will be used to help city council prepare the 2019 operating budget next month.
“City council appreciates the public’s input as it helps guide our decision-making and provides direction about our city budget,” Mayor Walter Sendzik said on the call.
“Public input ensures that our budget reflects what services and programs are important to our community and where our resources should be focused.”
Sendzik and Mat Siscoe, the budget standing committee chair and a St. Patrick’s ward councillor, answered questions from 17 callers. Issues raised included snow clearing, the Port Dalhousie piers, garbage pickup, the compassionate city and next steps for downtown revitalization.
The hourlong forum was hosted by CKTB’s Tom McConnell and included four poll questions that residents could answer by pressing numbers on their phone.
They were asked how much of a budget increase they were willing to pay, what priorities were most important and what major projects the city should undertake if it secures additional funds.
They were also asked if they support St. Catharines having recreational cannabis stores.
Siscoe said more than 4,000 people were on the line for the event Tuesday night. That was up from 3,600 in 2017.
The telephone town hall, conducted by Front Porch Strategies, cost $6,500 plus HST. It was the fifth one held by the budget committee, which introduced the concept in February 2015 to gain more feedback from the public.
The proposed $113-million operating budget will be debated by city council on Dec. 17.
City staff have prepared a draft budget with an overall expenditure increase of 3.98 per cent, which includes, residents were told Tuesday, funding for capital projects, water filling stations, a residential rat rebate program and reserve funding for the Port Dalhousie piers.
In-person, hourlong budget open houses will be held later this month for interested residents. They are Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Kiwanis Aquatics Centre at 425 Carlton St. and Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre at 240 St. Paul St. W.
Residents can also email questions to budget@stcatharines.ca.
Siscoe strongly encouraged residents to get involved with the process.
“We want to get feedback. This is the most important document we’re going to work on during the entire year,” he said.
“Please reach out to us, get your questions answered and give your input, because we spend the money the way we’re told to.”