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The city of Ottawa’s draft budget calls for a two-per-cent tax increase for residential property owners, fulfilling one of Mayor Jim Watson’s campaign promises.
If the budget is passed next month, it means the owner of a $375,300 home who paid $2,175 in municipal taxes this year now faces a $2,219 municipal tax bill, plus an increase of $49 for water and sewers.
But city residents will also be paying more for city services, including a 2.5 per cent increase in transit fares, which should generate $2.2 million in additional revenues.
In his budget address, the mayor said he was pleased to deliver a balanced budget, and outlined a number of new investments in services, including a 1.5 per cent increase to community health resource centres, and $2 million in recreation facility upgrades.
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Next year, $326 million will be spent on new and existing infrastructure, including roads, bridges and cycling lanes. About $35 million will be spent on road resurfacing, with rural roads and major downtown streets including repaving Wellington Street, Kent Street and Mackenzie Avenue in time for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations.
Each of the city’s 23 wards will receive $40,000 for traffic calming measures, which has been identified as a priority by a number of councillors, said Watson. The 2016 budget also includes $200,000 to maintain winter cycling networks.
However, Watson also warned that the budget has to be seen against the backdrop of the local economy and family finances. The city will be dipping into a reserve fund for replacing vehicles and equipment. The city had planned ot spend $23 million from that fund on replacements, but that will now be done on a case-by-case basis. That should free up $11.5 million next year and $6.7 million in 2017.
The budget also calls for reductions to the workforce of 50 full-time equivalent positions and reduction to overtime and on-call expenditures in 2016.
The budget has been molded by Mayor Jim Watson and city manager Kent Kirkpatrick. Members of the public have attended town halls across the city to make their views known, and city councillors have presented their own pitches about priorities for their wards.
This year’s financial picture was more bleak than expected,which could end with the city racking up a projected $52.5-million deficit. Projected shortfalls on both the tax- and rate-supported sides of the budget, as well as OC Transpo, are to be offset this year by dipping into several reserve funds and saving money through a freeze on hiring and discretionary account spending.
Ottawa faces a projected revenue shortfall — or deficit — of $36.3 million for 2016, and deficits of $23.4 million in 2017 and $24.2 million in 2018. Municipalities are prevented by provincial law from running deficits.
Items can still be added to the budget — however councillors who want to add to the budget must suggest a corresponding cut that a majority of their fellow councillors support. This system was approved for the entire 2014-2018 term. In the recent past, tax rate increase have reached as high as 4.9 per cent.
The budget will be scrutinized in the coming weeks at city committees, and full council will vote on the final draft on Dec. 9.
查看原文...
If the budget is passed next month, it means the owner of a $375,300 home who paid $2,175 in municipal taxes this year now faces a $2,219 municipal tax bill, plus an increase of $49 for water and sewers.
But city residents will also be paying more for city services, including a 2.5 per cent increase in transit fares, which should generate $2.2 million in additional revenues.
In his budget address, the mayor said he was pleased to deliver a balanced budget, and outlined a number of new investments in services, including a 1.5 per cent increase to community health resource centres, and $2 million in recreation facility upgrades.
Related
Next year, $326 million will be spent on new and existing infrastructure, including roads, bridges and cycling lanes. About $35 million will be spent on road resurfacing, with rural roads and major downtown streets including repaving Wellington Street, Kent Street and Mackenzie Avenue in time for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations.
Each of the city’s 23 wards will receive $40,000 for traffic calming measures, which has been identified as a priority by a number of councillors, said Watson. The 2016 budget also includes $200,000 to maintain winter cycling networks.
However, Watson also warned that the budget has to be seen against the backdrop of the local economy and family finances. The city will be dipping into a reserve fund for replacing vehicles and equipment. The city had planned ot spend $23 million from that fund on replacements, but that will now be done on a case-by-case basis. That should free up $11.5 million next year and $6.7 million in 2017.
The budget also calls for reductions to the workforce of 50 full-time equivalent positions and reduction to overtime and on-call expenditures in 2016.
The budget has been molded by Mayor Jim Watson and city manager Kent Kirkpatrick. Members of the public have attended town halls across the city to make their views known, and city councillors have presented their own pitches about priorities for their wards.
This year’s financial picture was more bleak than expected,which could end with the city racking up a projected $52.5-million deficit. Projected shortfalls on both the tax- and rate-supported sides of the budget, as well as OC Transpo, are to be offset this year by dipping into several reserve funds and saving money through a freeze on hiring and discretionary account spending.
Ottawa faces a projected revenue shortfall — or deficit — of $36.3 million for 2016, and deficits of $23.4 million in 2017 and $24.2 million in 2018. Municipalities are prevented by provincial law from running deficits.
Items can still be added to the budget — however councillors who want to add to the budget must suggest a corresponding cut that a majority of their fellow councillors support. This system was approved for the entire 2014-2018 term. In the recent past, tax rate increase have reached as high as 4.9 per cent.
The budget will be scrutinized in the coming weeks at city committees, and full council will vote on the final draft on Dec. 9.
查看原文...
