Capital budget discussion begins Dec. 1; seeking additional transit & trail funds; operating budget at 4.19% increase
The capital budget will be up for discussion Dec. 1 at the Committee of the Whole - Budget meeting.The Dec. 1 meeting will also include an overview of the proposed operating budget, which currently has a potential tax increase of 4.19% before amendments. Debate of the operating budget will be at the Committee of the Whole - Budget meeting Jan. 18. Agenda & ReportsThe 2018 capital budget is $68.6 million, including 1.25% funding from the operating budget for infrastructure (value of $1.9 million). Council will vote on the capital budget Dec. 11.
Capital Budget amendments
For the capital budget, I'm proposing more transit buses, removal of the Cherryhill sidewalk, and more money for trails. Specifically:
- phase in video-cameras on buses over two years ($500k value), or defer entire amount to 2019, and bring forward the purchase of one new bus and one new Handivan (value $194k capital plus amounts already in reserve), with two drivers. The capital purchase does not add to the taxes as it can be exchanged for the cameras; adding drivers will add $405k to the operating balance.
- remove $55k funding in 2018 for Active Transportation plan, as currently have $55k unspent from 2017, and reallocate this amount to the multi-use trails strategy to begin sooner than 2022
- direct staff to consider advancing funding for the multi-use trails to the 2019 budget (currently not set to start until 2022-27)
Additional amendments from other members of council include:
- provide funding of $250k in 2018 for design work for the Active Transportation Crossing of the QEW
- provide $30k funding for design work in 2018 for the Lowville Schoolhouse renovations
- direct staff to review the sidewalk warrant bylaw, and local improvement policy (charging residents for a portion of the new sidewalk)
- direct staff to engage residents of Bromley Rd about a potential sidewalk
- direct staff to consider funding for the Lowville School house in 2019
- direct staff to consider expanded pedestrian lighting at the Aldershot Tennis Club as part of the 2019 budget, with cost sharing with the Aldershot Tennis Club
Operating Budget Overview
At the Dec. 1 capital budget meeting there will also be an overview of the Operating Budget. Amendments to the operating budget will be considered at the Jan. 18 Committee of the Whole - Budget meeting, and go to council Jan. 22.
The operating budget currently sits at a 4.19% increase which includes the capital infrastructure levy of 1.25%. Other significant pressures on the budget include increases to the minimum wage, arbitration settlement awards to fire fighters, and increases to transit to address previously identified underfunding issues:
- The city’s base budget is presented with a 0.46% increase (includes any wage increases plus inflationary pressures)
- The estimated impact from legislative changes to the Employment Standards and Labour Relations Acts (Bill 148) of $1 million results in an additional tax increase of 0.65%
- The annualized impact of changes made within the Transit Service to provide operational sustainability of $1.3 million results in an additional tax increase of 0.85%
- Impacts from the 2014 arbitrated Fire settlement of $1.2 million results in an additional tax increase of 0.78%
- The increase for the dedicated infrastructure levy of $1.9 million results in an additional tax increase of 1.32%
- A business case to increase maintenance standards on city sportsfields for $320K (+0.21%). This is the second installment on a three year strategy that began in 2017 via my motion that was approved by council to immediately begin work on enhanced sportsfield maintenance
- The above increases are net of a line-by-line review of the base budget that eliminated $600,000 (about $500k of this is savings from converting street lights to LED)