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'Bring it on' Mayor says of upcoming city budget challenge

City council returns to business after summer break with difficult budget deliberations on the horizon
20160201 Mayor Cam Guthrie KA
GuelphToday file photo

It will be one of the most challenging city budgets in years.

Next week, Guelph city council returns to the horseshoe for its first meeting after the summer break and will soon begin 2017 budget workshops and deliberations.

It won't be pretty.

Longstanding public demand for new projects such as a new main library and south end recreation centre, combined with the challenges of addressing the city's aging infrastructure and shrinking reserve funds, will make for some heated debate over the next three months.

Then there is the huge elephant in the room that is the impending discussion about a specific tax levy (2 per cent for five years has been floated) to help pay for that crumbling infrastructure.

"Bring it on, I'm up for this challenge, absolutely," Mayor Cam Guthrie said, agreeing that the word "challenging" is an apt one to describe the 2017 budget.

"It will probably be the most difficult one I've dealt with in the seven that I've been involved with."

Tuesday afternoon's meeting will also be council's first under the new committee of the whole model, which has done away with the committee system.

"The past decisions of council, over the past 10 years, are coming home to roost," Guthrie said of the financial issues facing the city.

"I was elected to get a handle on the finances of this city and it's time to buckle down and focus on needs, not wants."

Guthrie is a "firm believer" the city spends too much on operations and hopes council supports his efforts to reduce those costs.

"People are begging for tax relief," he said.

"The debate about 'wants' versus 'needs' comes up in everybody's household and the same debate needs to come up at the council horseshoe."

There is some financial relief coming in the form of infrastructure funding from the federal and provincial governments, although how much and when that happens isn't known.

What is known is that the city will have to be prepared to pony up its own share for those projects.

"Infrastructure is an issue. That's not up for debate. How we pay for infrastructure is what's up for debate," he said.

The Mayor believes that a special tax levy can be avoided.

He said the operational costs of the city have blown out of proportion and the city needs to look at how it spends its money, reducing operational costs to focus on the capital side.

"We need to be ready to respond to the opportunity coming from other levels of government."

Guthrie said it's important the public be educated on the realities of the city's finances and the important role of replenishing its reserves.

"It's a tough conversation to have, but it's important one for the community to be educated on."

Councillors are getting a tool kit from staff to assist them in engaging the public about the budget.

Guthrie is planning at least three town hall meetings, other councillors will likely follow suit.

Related story:

See what your councillor thinks of upcoming 2017 budget challenges


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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