The two Wallaceburg representatives on Chatham-Kent council are happy with the outcome of this years 0% budget.
Council approved a tax freeze on Tuesday night pulling hundreds of thousands of dollars out of reserves for one-time spending. Here is our full story by Bruce Corcoran: Tax freeze achieved across Chatham-Kent.
“As a first time councillor I learned a great deal going through the budget process,” said Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor.
“I’m good with the final results of a 0% budget as all of the councillors used some ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking to reach this goal. The 2015 budget will allow for residents to plan without being faced with an increase.”
Wallaceburg Coun. Jeff Wesley added: “I fully supported the 0% target from start to finish as I felt very strongly that taxpayers deserved a break after tax increases year after year… I voted against tax increases in the last term of Council.”
Wesley said people and businesses continue to struggle.
“Any help we can give, we need to give,” he said. “With the 0%, local taxpayers will not even notice as the reductions did not come from key services, in fact with the 0% the Stonehouse walkway will be completed in 2015 and there will still be $1.8 million going into reserves for the future infrastructure needs of CK.”
Both McGregor and Wesley said the budget process could use some improvements.
“Going forward it would be good to have councillors more involved then what they currently are in the discussions of finding efficiencies,” McGregor said. “This should happen all year long and not only at budget time. The current process makes it difficult for everyone, management and council.”
“We do need to take steps to create a better budget process,” added Wesley.”Council was still in the dark on many items that we should have been aware of before the budget even started. The municipality has an astonishing $100 million in 92 different reserves, many of which are needed.”
Wesley entered a notice of motion at Monday’s council meeting for staff to “open the doors on the details of each reserve.”
This motion is set to come forward on March 9.
McGregor said she is “concerned” about the money taken from the reserves.
“We may be faced with making up the difference in another year,” she said. “I believe that we need to have the opportunity to reevaluate the needs of Chatham-Kent and the amount that is retained in the reserves.”
McGregor and Wesley both said the walking bridge will be a key project taking place in Wallaceburg this year.
“There were no specific new community projects that were identified with this budget other than maintaining our current infrastructure,” she said. “As you are aware the Stonehouse bridge did received its final approval for funding last Monday, but that had been previously budgeted and was in the works for a great period of time.”
Wesley said the walking bridge, a FitPark coming to Wallaceburg, more money for infrastructure, more equipment for fire and EMS and additional efforts with economic development, were all key highlights for Wallaceburg with this budget.
Wesley added there was no talk about closing the Wallaceburg pool or about cuts to libraries or museum services.
“All in all, a great start for a new council,” Wesley said.
