Budget Chit-Chat

There seemed to be a murmuring consensus at the budget meeting on Monday night that residents were not concerned about a tax increase. I observed we didn't have to look farther than the last election to know how people felt about how the municipality was being managed.

"few of you would be sitting in these seats if the community was satisfied. They voted for change. Not same old, same old."

 I also believe people do not object to paying taxes when  assured the money is being spent wisely. We have added pressure this year of knowing many people have lost long term jobs. People who invested careers in a single employer. People who have found their working lives cut short by eight or nine years

People who spent  first years of employment,paying off student debt, delaying families and buying homes later still have mortgages. They are hanging on with the skin of their teeth, struggling to pay the mortgage without employment for a year or permanently.

A whole new class of people have entered the spectrum of experiencing hardship in Ontario.

Councillors hear regularly about affluence in Aurora. Especially when the discussion is about taxes. I don't feel  the affluent need me to worry about them I  am very much aware of the others.

I am making a list of the items for  the next and possibly last budget meeting that can  be removed from the budget without reducing the level of service.

I went up to the Aurora Leisure Complex last night to see the Arboretum project in 2010.I recommend concerned taxpayers reading this blog take themselves up there. In the driveway,just ahead of the building, look down the slope to the valley.

At the bottom observe a  narrow  soil  bed supported  by massive blocks of stone. The stones continue down past the soil beds.e  scattered  in a haphazard fashion towards a small bridge.

Construction material was removed and replaced with amended soil to create the planting bed.

It cost $87,000. The town allocated $100,000 to volunteers. That's how  $87,000 was spent.

The Arboretum is a small group of individuals dedicated to creating beauty. They started their organisation selling memorial trees and planting them in the valley behind the seniors' centre. The parks department assisted them with heavy work and great satisfaction was derived from doing something really positive while creating beauty at the same time. Who could not support that well-meaning endeavour?

I did. I still do. But $100,000 to the Arboretum in 2011 is first on my list to go.

The $346.000 allocation to the Culture Centre. This morning I received a phone call. The Farmer's Market is at the Centre for the last time

A stalwart market vendor was seen packing his wares two hours early. He had been removed from the main room to a side room to make room for a booth for  the St Kitts Jazz Festival

My mind was made up before the phone call.

The Board has occupied   a free building for 18 months. They have been provided with full maintenance service and payment of utilities.Funds in the amount of $691.000 have been provided. Said funds came from the tax levy in 2009 and 2010.

The Board has used some funds to pay artists to exhibit and perform.

Revenue  showing in financial statements is negligible. The town has used the facility for various meetings. I was never able to discover if we paid fees or used the space to give an appearance of activity.

Unspent funds have  been invested by the board.

$346,000 to the Culture Centre Board is on my list.

There is nothing going on in that facility that could not be just as easily programmed by town staff  who are already providing similar programs in other town facilities.

Bullfrog Power  adds $20,000 to the cost of energy for the town hall. It is not green power. It contributes to promotion of the concept of green power. I don't want to pay for that.

$60,000 is in the budget for a consultant  heritage plan study of the town centre. We have a heritage planner on staff. Council has agreed to re-constitute the heritage advisory committee.Both are an investment in protection of heritage. We don't need to increase taxes for another elitist neighbourhood heritage plan.

The $60,000 is on my list.

A manager of customer services  with a salary of $80,000.was advertised in January. Add benefits and tools and that's a $100,000 additional cost. I've heard two explanations for the job. It is a replacement and not a new hire. I do not accept either. Don't take me for a fool.

Another $100,000.

An additional bylaw officer is recommended. Probably upward toward a $100,000.

Last year,the contract for animal control services ended in early fall. Services at the Ontario Humane Facility were the subject of huge controversy. No effort was made to prepare specs and call bids for the new contract. A report submitted to the new council in January recommended the contract be renewed without bids because t no other service providers existed in the area.

The information was inaccurate.The report was incomplete.

Last year ,  a recruitment process was put in place for five contract bylaw officers. One conscientious officer did not have his contract renewed. No reason was given. He was replaced but the level of  service he provided was not.

I am not confident an additional  bylaw officer will improve the circumstances.

It's another $100,000.

There are other items I can and will argue.

But for the purpose of this post, the tally is$726,000

A  decimal point in taxation Is $250.000.

The town experienced 2.2 % increase in  assessment revenue in 2010. It allows for increased spending  to that level without increasing taxes.

A  colleague commented last week, he could find no fat in the current budget. He is a  new councillor.I'm not sure  he would recognise fat if he saw it. But he is doing his homework.

We took off two points be reducing the cash to capital reserve contribution. We didn't reduce the account. We reduced the contribution.

The vote was five to four in favour. Four people voted against reducing the  tax increase  by two points.

We received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the federal government last year in stimulus funds.

We spent it.

We received hundreds of thousands from the provincial government from gas taxes.

We spent it. 

The province flat-lined education taxes. In recognition of severe economic hardship in Ontario I believe intending the relief to be passed on to homeowners.

Still we keep on jacking up the property tax.

I do not find  justification  for that.

I don't need residents to tell me why I am occupying a seat at the council table. 

I am not there to think about how to grow the administration. I'm there to curb that easy inclination.

If my list were to be  accepted ,we would have a reduction in taxes and you wouldn't even notice where the cuts had  happened.

It's not hard. It's easy.But I am not holding my breath.