- 注册
- 2002-10-07
- 消息
- 407,060
- 荣誉分数
- 75
- 声望点数
- 0
Council might need to consider bringing back an infrastructure levy to fix the city’s roads, sewers and buildings.
The transportation committee, which oversees departments in charge of the road, cycling and sidewalk network, heard Tuesday that there just isn’t enough money to make all the needed repairs.
Coun. Keith Egli, chair of the committee, wasn’t ready to say if he would support an infrastructure levy.
“I think we need to have all the information,” Egli said after the meeting.
Other councillors noted deteriorating conditions of roads and questioned staff about the city’s priorities in 2017.
Coun. Diane Deans said local roads aren’t getting enough attention, an observation that was confirmed by staff.
“That’s certainly where we have the biggest gap at this point,” Alain Gonthier, the head of asset management, said during the meeting.
Gonthier said the number of complaints about vibration caused by heavy traffic on deteriorating roads has been increasing.
After the meeting, Deans said that an infrastructure levy should be part of council’s discussion on funding asset repairs.
“I wouldn’t rule it out at this point,” Deans said.
In 2017, the city will release an updated long-range financial plan, which is the playbook on how to pay for necessary infrastructure work.
The current long-range financial plan, which was released in 2012, suggested the city in 2016 would need to consider options, including an infrastructure levy, if permanent funding from the upper-tier governments isn’t in place.
The city receives funding from the federal and provincial government on a “sporadic basis,” according to city treasurer Marian Simulik, and typically the money is earmarked for projects in the transportation master plan, such as LRT and new roads.
“The city is encouraged that the new federal programs have included renewal works but, so far, these programs are not permanent,” Simulik said.
The city last had an infrastructure levy when Larry O’Brien was mayor, but it petered out toward the end of his term when property tax pressures became too burdensome for council.
Voters elected Mayor Jim Watson in 2010 on a promise to cap tax increases at 2.5 per cent, and returned him to office in 2014 on a two-per-cent tax pledge, so there has been little room for discussion at council about an additional levy.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the National Capital Heavy Construction Association has been the unofficial watchdog for municipal infrastructure repairs. Association members benefit from the city’s maintenance spending.
On Tuesday, the association credited the city for increasing spending on road projects, invoking Leonard Cohen by suggesting this is the city’s “Hallelujah” moment.
Deans, skeptical of the association’s praise, and remembering a bit of Cohen’s lyrics, said a softer “and broken Hallelujah might be more appropriate.”
Dale Harley, the association’s executive advisor and a former Osgoode municipal councillor, said the city should start turning its attention to how it will pay for maintenance. The association in the past has pushed the city to have an infrastructure levy.
“We put it on hold when they came up with the mayor’s two per cent (tax increase cap),” Harley said.
But now, the city is clearly short on cash for repairing assets, he said.
The transportation committee unanimously approved the transportation budget for 2017. The city intends to repave roads in 56 locations, renew sidewalks and curbs at 20 locations and fix buildings at 16 sites. Council will vote on the city’s 2017 budget next Wednesday.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
The transportation committee, which oversees departments in charge of the road, cycling and sidewalk network, heard Tuesday that there just isn’t enough money to make all the needed repairs.
Coun. Keith Egli, chair of the committee, wasn’t ready to say if he would support an infrastructure levy.
“I think we need to have all the information,” Egli said after the meeting.
Other councillors noted deteriorating conditions of roads and questioned staff about the city’s priorities in 2017.
Coun. Diane Deans said local roads aren’t getting enough attention, an observation that was confirmed by staff.
“That’s certainly where we have the biggest gap at this point,” Alain Gonthier, the head of asset management, said during the meeting.
Gonthier said the number of complaints about vibration caused by heavy traffic on deteriorating roads has been increasing.
After the meeting, Deans said that an infrastructure levy should be part of council’s discussion on funding asset repairs.
“I wouldn’t rule it out at this point,” Deans said.
In 2017, the city will release an updated long-range financial plan, which is the playbook on how to pay for necessary infrastructure work.
The current long-range financial plan, which was released in 2012, suggested the city in 2016 would need to consider options, including an infrastructure levy, if permanent funding from the upper-tier governments isn’t in place.
The city receives funding from the federal and provincial government on a “sporadic basis,” according to city treasurer Marian Simulik, and typically the money is earmarked for projects in the transportation master plan, such as LRT and new roads.
“The city is encouraged that the new federal programs have included renewal works but, so far, these programs are not permanent,” Simulik said.
The city last had an infrastructure levy when Larry O’Brien was mayor, but it petered out toward the end of his term when property tax pressures became too burdensome for council.
Voters elected Mayor Jim Watson in 2010 on a promise to cap tax increases at 2.5 per cent, and returned him to office in 2014 on a two-per-cent tax pledge, so there has been little room for discussion at council about an additional levy.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the National Capital Heavy Construction Association has been the unofficial watchdog for municipal infrastructure repairs. Association members benefit from the city’s maintenance spending.
On Tuesday, the association credited the city for increasing spending on road projects, invoking Leonard Cohen by suggesting this is the city’s “Hallelujah” moment.
Deans, skeptical of the association’s praise, and remembering a bit of Cohen’s lyrics, said a softer “and broken Hallelujah might be more appropriate.”
Dale Harley, the association’s executive advisor and a former Osgoode municipal councillor, said the city should start turning its attention to how it will pay for maintenance. The association in the past has pushed the city to have an infrastructure levy.
“We put it on hold when they came up with the mayor’s two per cent (tax increase cap),” Harley said.
But now, the city is clearly short on cash for repairing assets, he said.
The transportation committee unanimously approved the transportation budget for 2017. The city intends to repave roads in 56 locations, renew sidewalks and curbs at 20 locations and fix buildings at 16 sites. Council will vote on the city’s 2017 budget next Wednesday.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
