Taxes

Robert the Bruce has left a new comment on my post "Toronto's User Fees":

Regarding taxes in Aurora. Do you agree that part of the problem we have now is related to the "zero tax increase" years a few years ago?

Would it not have been prudent to make a marginal increase and save that money in reserves "for a rainy day"? I know this was a hot topic when the taxes went up, but I think there is still fallout from that.

Your opinion?

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If council struck a budget with zero tax increase for town purposes it would not necessarily mean property owners were not billed for increases. It's only in recent years School Boards and York Region have not increased their share.

The province has absorbed increases in education spending. But homeowners have seen no benefit.

Increased revenue from new assessment should absorb increased expenditures but that hasn't happened either.

Factors in last year's spending should still be fresh in everyone's mind. They are in mine.

Half a million dollars was new spending for staff and maintenance for the Church Street School.

$100,000. were made available for the Arboretum group to plant trees.

$50.ks was granted to the Historical Society for a museum but we have no museum.

Three road projects came in $2 million under estimate. Councillor Wilson was thrilled. I wasn't. Over-estimates of 2million dollars does not represent to me competent financial management.

Water rates were increased. $250ks. was transferred from budget accounts to water accounts. Water "losses" were increased from 8% to 12%. We tacked new figures
to the rates while the Region increased the wholesale price for water.

It meant budget estimates for water accounts were reduced by a commensurate increase in rates billed to consumers.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on legal fees.

Numerous futile court procedures undertaken to obtain a consolidated board hearing for Westhill 's O.M.B hearing.they failed.

We had two lawyers instead of one for seven weeks of Municipal Board hearing.

Nisbet Drive was shifted over by 3 feet to accommodate the self-serving interest of one resident at the expense of his neighbours and the taxpayers.

We spent thousands of dollars on consultants to satisfy a couple of residents in Hadley Grange who didn't want a walking trail abutting their rental property . We included a snake hibernatum and a turtle pond to persuade them at an
additional cost of $450ks but they still didn't like it.

They figured the town wouldn't build it because it was ridiculously expensive.But we didn't say no.

Remember $211ks for traffic calming in the Heritage Neighbourhood. Tourists visit but not to view heritage. They come to see nutty traffic calming.

We put $250ks in the last budget for a hidden away playground that would create hazard for any child who might play there.Neighbours didn't want it.

We budgeted $100.Ks to restore a rotting,mouldering, worm eaten, pile of lumber sitting at the side of Leslie Street for eight years, roof open to the elements and harbouring generations of racoon feces and carcases.

We are still inviting proposals to tell us how to spend money on the ruin. Already reduced by the amount of consultant fees paid.

We budgeted funds for trails. We built nary a foot. Instead hundreds of hours of staff time were spent talking about trails. Staff time is money.Time wasted is money wasted.

$53ks went on consultant fees to draft a master recreation plan. We tossed it in favour of something else.

I could go on and on and I'm not even looking at the last budget.

We hooked up Canadian Tire parking lights to the town street lighting system.

Meetings went on past midnight, racking up time- off- in-lieu or overtime pay for Department Directors.

Untold hours went into writing a report on accomplishments of four years of advisory committees so the former mayor could rally support of volunteers to her re-election bid. The funds were ill-spent.

I don't even know the total settlements paid out to long serving employees who left the town without good reason.

Staff time was spent in useless pursuits while consultants were engaged to tell us how many extra bodies we should add to staff complement.

What was done a few years ago will not influence this year's budget.It's what was done last year and shouldn't be corrected this year that should make the difference.

I'm the only one on this Council who knows where the bones are buried.

I'm going to need support.