Marianne Wilkinson Councillor, Kanata North Budget Next week Council will start the formal budget proceedings

by approving the budget guidelines. The draft of these guidelines that will be considered on January 10th & 11th calls for: 1. maintaining current programs at current service levels 2. providing provincially mandated and cost-shared programs 3. providing for services due to growth in population and new infrastructure 4. an increase of 1% in taxation to fund strategic initiative capital projects 5. an increase in user fees 6. additional income from assessment growth from new properties 7. deferring an increase in the corporate efficiency target 8. a 0% tax increase Since the Cities long range financial plan shows that the above guidelines cannot be achieved using the same criteria followed in 2006 staff have also provided strategies to eliminate the difference between expenditures and revenues. These include deferral of service enhancements; use of provincial gas tax revenues where possible; using debt rather than tax dollars for capital programs (i.e. deferring pay as you go); seeking our fair share of cost-sharing program funding from the province; seeking one-time sources of funding; additional increases in user fees; program reductions; and use of existing reserves for operational requirements. Since the financial plan shows a shortfall of $95 million (about a 10% tax increase if implemented) achieving these guidelines without major program reductions will be very difficult. Much of the City budget is already set. The province sets the rules, including funding levels, for social, housing and health programs; the Police Board has approval authority on the Police Budget which Council, by law, cannot amend; most staff are unionized and all but one union has an existing contract that will increase salaries by 3% in 2007. That's the challenge. I believe there is much we can do in reorganizing the way the City carries out business that will lead to long-term decreases in costs and will be working with the Mayor to achieve such savings. I am prepared to use some reserves in 2007 as a onetime means of gaining the time to implement such long-term savings. I am also interested in finding ways that we can do things within our own community that would maintain and sometimes increase service or maintenance levels and save tax dollars. The enhancement of Sue Nickerson Park by local residents; the adoption of Kanata Avenue by a local business; the vigilance of local Neighbourhood Watch Groups and the improvement to the community sign by the Beaverbrook Community Association are examples. Consider what you could do to improve your neighbourhood.

If you have ideas for the budget guidelines please send them to me, contact my office to meet with me, or make a presentation to Council on January 10th (contact Dawn Whelan 613-580-2424 ext. 21837, Dawn.Whelan@ottawa.ca to book a time). You can reach me at city hall by calling 613-580-2474, fax 613-580-2514, email Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca. I appreciate receiving your comments and suggestions.