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The city will keep its share of property taxes to a two-per-cent increase next year, council voted Wednesday.
The approved increase — which is a target Mayor Jim Watson called “reasonable, responsible and predictable” — was something he campaigned on in the recent election, and is in line with the 2014 increase of 1.9 per cent.
River ward Coun. Riley Brockington raised concerns that the two-per-cent target could “handcuff” committees attempting to address community concerns, and suggested council have a priority-setting exercise to help inform both the budget and related tax cap.
Watson responded that council will set its term priorities in early 2015, but also needs to move quickly in order to get property tax bills out in time next spring.
Questions were also raised about whether the city could provide the same level of services that residents have come to expect while holding the line on tax increases to two per cent.
City manager Kent Kirkpatrick said, generally, yes it would be possible. But if city staff are unable to do so, the issue would be “elevated” to highest level of management, he said.
The city’s 2015 operating and capital budgets will be tabled at a special council meeting on Feb. 4, after which time a series of four public meetings will be held to give residents a chance to have their say.
Council will consider and adopt the final budget recommendations from all the city’s standing committees and boards at its March 11 meeting.
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
The approved increase — which is a target Mayor Jim Watson called “reasonable, responsible and predictable” — was something he campaigned on in the recent election, and is in line with the 2014 increase of 1.9 per cent.
River ward Coun. Riley Brockington raised concerns that the two-per-cent target could “handcuff” committees attempting to address community concerns, and suggested council have a priority-setting exercise to help inform both the budget and related tax cap.
Watson responded that council will set its term priorities in early 2015, but also needs to move quickly in order to get property tax bills out in time next spring.
Questions were also raised about whether the city could provide the same level of services that residents have come to expect while holding the line on tax increases to two per cent.
City manager Kent Kirkpatrick said, generally, yes it would be possible. But if city staff are unable to do so, the issue would be “elevated” to highest level of management, he said.
The city’s 2015 operating and capital budgets will be tabled at a special council meeting on Feb. 4, after which time a series of four public meetings will be held to give residents a chance to have their say.
Council will consider and adopt the final budget recommendations from all the city’s standing committees and boards at its March 11 meeting.
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
