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Rockcliffe
park newsletter
MARS
2004
NEWS FROM CITY HALL
City Budget 2004
This budget exercise has been more difficult than average. Many of
you have participated in the consultations (Jan. 19th) following
the release, in December, of the Universal Program Review and the
Opportunity Log. On February 17th, at the Overbrook Community
Centre, there was also a community information/consultation
meeting on the Draft 2004 Budget, which had been made public at
Council on February 11th. That meeting attracted, by far, the
largest participation of any of the previous 12 annual budget
consultations held in this ward since 1992!
People sense that, this year, important decisions may be made that
will affect the newly amalgamated City, for some time to come.
Finally, constituents and elected officials are asking the
fundamental questions. What, why & how is the City to provide its
services are the questions, along, of course, with how much will
they cost. It’s a difficult process but an essential one. The
answers provided, through this very public debate, may set the
direction of the City for years to come. Many believe, as I do,
that the vision of our City was established through the extensive
Ottawa 20/20 Official Plan. Unfortunately, there would appear to
be a serious disconnect between that vision and budgeting for that
long-term vision of the City. This is very curious since that plan
was routed very much in long-term affordability.
The City budget is complicated by the effects of a property tax
base that is tasked with too much (for a regressive tax) and with
a property assessment system that does not seem to operate as
intended. Senior levels of government are finally paying attention
to plight of municipalities, but any action from those quarters
will come too late for this particular year.
I invite you to consult
www.rideau-rockcliffe.com (select, “From My Desk”, then,
“Letters”, 1st bullet= “Strategic thinking …”) for a description
of my own approach to the coming budget decisions. I would be
interested in your opinions on that approach. I also invite you to
consult www.ottawa.ca for more
details or to call your favourite Councillor!
Councillor Jacques Legendre
I can be contacted by telephone at 580-2483, by fax at 580-2523 or
by email at
jacques.legendre@ottawa.ca
Visit your web site at
www.rideau-rockcliffe.com
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