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New Edinburgh News
DECEMBER 2002
Budget 2003
The Draft Budget for 2003 was tabled at Council on November 13th .
Operating expenditures next year will top $ 1.8 Billion. In the
last 10 years, since 1993, in constant dollar terms, for a home
valued at $ 150,000 in the urban area, taxes have gone down by
20.5%! I know that, where taxes are concerned, the feeling is that
they only go up.
Your City budget is not just about revenues and expenses, reserve
funds and capital programs. It’s about your quality of life. It’s
about municipal services delivered in your neighbourhood. It’s
about your vision for your community. It’s about you!
The 2002 budget in summary:
• the 10 percent tax-rate cut approved in 2001 was maintained,
• amalgamation savings of $26.7 million were realized-- over $4
million more than the original savings target,
• there was money for new buses, new ambulances and more public
health nurses.
Budgets should reflect the main principles and priorities that
Ottawa’s citizens and City Council feel are most important. In
your opinion, did Ottawa’s Budget last year meet that test?
Budgets provide the funding to deliver the services we all count
on, services like fire, police, ambulance, garbage collection,
snow removal, transit, roads, public health, childcare, housing,
animal control, parking, water, sewers, zoning, parks, recreation
programming, 911 service, libraries and much, much more. The
accompanying bar chart gives a better idea of just how your
property taxes are used. Some of these expenditures are
provincially mandated and not subject to Council decisions.
Council had issued guidelines to staff for the preparation of this
Budget. Some elements of these guidelines were that:
• the existing tax rate be maintained,
• user fees & charges, along with service levels be considered to
absorb inflation costs,
• all amalgamation savings be identified,
• the 2003 capital envelope be reduced by 5% and future years by
10%, and,
• a minimum balance of $50 million be retained in the tax
supported capital reserve funds.
As a result of these guidelines, budget “pressures” total some
$23.6 million - $22.3 M on the property tax side & $1.3 M in the
water & sewer rates.
Recommended solutions include:
• Elimination of grants to O-C Wildlife Centre & the Wild Bird
Care Centre $200,000
• Wading pool operating hours $200,000
• Fees of recreation programs $560,000
• Arena ice rental rates $400,000
• Library options $100,000
• Alternate service delivery mechanisms $400,000
• Water account service fee for changing owners $345,000
• Change of ownership $2,250,000
• Defer planned implementation of pesticide management program
$500,000
• Defer planned implementation of pressure-treated sealant program
$500,000
• Reduce number of snow removals $1,100,000
• Reduction in salt usage $400,000
• Increase Traffic & Parking By-law fines from $55.00 to $75.00
$633,000
• Increase fine for Private Property Offence from $35.00 to $50.00
$615,000
• Increase fine for illegal parking in a disabled space $100 to
$300 $169,000
• OC Transpo 2% fare increase in July 2003 $900,000
• Implement fee for parking at selected park & ride lots $200,000
These are some of the options being considered. I am in great need
of your informed assistance. I invite you to Rideau-Rockcliffe’s
annual Budget discussion evening at
7:00 p.m. on December 3rd at the Courtyard Room
St. Laurent Complex
525 Côté Street
Mr. Kent Kirkpatrick, General Manager of Corporate Services will
once again be on hand to provide an overview and to answer your
questions. As your representative, I can’t over-emphasize the
importance of your role in establishing your City Budget. I hope
to see there.
You can communicate with me at (please include a telephone
number):
City of Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Tel: 580-2483, Fax: 580-2523
e-mail:
jacques.legendre@ottawa.ca
Web Site:
www.rideau-rockcliffe.com back
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