Councillors at odds over budget

After one day of budget deliberations, sharp divisions are appearing on Saskatoon city council over the future of the city’s road spending.

Five hours of debate on Tuesday yielded no changes in the recommended 5.17 per

“I’M IN FAVOUR OF FINDING MONEY ELSEWHERE.”

TROY DAVIES

cent property tax increase. There were no cuts to spending in the $812-million city budget. Councillors sitting as a budget committee did find extra money to fund the city’s deteriorating road network, but so far it’s not enough to stave off a tax hike.

“We are going to take the easy way out and raise taxes — that’s what the main concern is,” said Coun. Troy Davies after the all-day budget meeting.

The city is proposing a 5.17 per cent property tax hike, which is equal to $82 more in 2013 for a home assessed at roughly $400,000, council heard. At least one per cent of that hike will go to improving the city’s roads — but it could be more if some councillors get their way.

“An under five per cent tax increase would be good, but we heard loudly and clearly from many, many people that the roads are in terrible shape and they want us to do something about it. We can’t waste any more time,” Coun. Pat Lorje said.

Lorje wants to up the road levy from the already approved one per cent to 1.25 per cent annually — and she wants to do so without raising taxes above the 5.17 per cent mark. That means during budget deliberations Wednesday she will join those looking for places to cut spending.

“We haven’t even started on the budget yet. There are a whole bunch of items. There’s 80 service lines. We’ve done one,” Lorje said.

While there were no cuts made Tuesday, councillors did approve spending $1.2 million over two years on a new website. There will be $7.6 million to get the plans rolling on the north com- muter bridge and $500,000 to begin work on an “active transportation network” that will improve the city’s cycling infrastructure. There will also be $54,000 set aside for a new licence plate recognition system that would replace the chalk-on-tire system used to enforce parking time limits.

“THERE’S 80 SERVICE LINES. WE’VE DONE ONE.”

COUN. PAT LORJE

Those are just a handful of the one-time capital expenses that passed without much debate to the chagrin of a few members of the budget committee.

“I’m in favour of finding money elsewhere. Again with those 21 line items ... we didn’t even hesitate,” Davies said. “I think we can go back and find that money somewhere else rather than increasing taxes and I challenge the people at the table to do that.”

Some councillors defended the proposed tax hike and the need to spend money on things like the city’s website and residential snow removal.

“There are number of items that have been sitting below the black line for years that are critical to moving Saskatoon forward for the quality of life for its citizens,” said Coun. Darren Hill. “That’s why you saw a number of councillors who have been here for a number of years voting in favour of some of those

“I’m not in favour of pulling out of (capital expenses) to put that toward roads. Absolutely not.”

Council did find an extra $200,000 to put toward roads from the province’s revenue sharing formula. That would bring the total funding for roads for 2013 to $11.2 million if the budget is approved as is.

If the increase in the road levy suggested by Lorje passes, the city would reach its goal of getting base funding of $25 million by 2020. If the levy stays at one per cent, it would be at $15 million by 2020.

“Does anybody want a five per cent tax increase? No they don’t. But I’ve heard loud and clear from my constituents that they want increased service and the majority of them understand that does mean a tax increase,” Hill said.

City council has to formally approve the budget after it is finalized by the committee.