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City wants budget to increase 5.8 per cent
March 2, 2005
- Brampton Guardian
The biggest expansion in Brampton Transit's history is one of the highlights of a proposed city budget that would hike city property taxes 5.8 per cent and move local transit closer to a grid system.
The increase would cost the average taxpayer $60 more per year, city officials were told Monday during the first of several budget committee meetings scheduled over the next two weeks.
Councillors will hear details of each department's budget this week and next, followed by discussion, and the final recommendation out of those discussions is expected to be approved by council later this month.
The increase will contribute $8.9 million of the $312 million in spending outlined in the proposed budget.
Bramptonians will also face an average $30 increase on the Region of Peel's portion of their property tax bill this year. The school board's portion of the tax bill has yet to be set.
City Manager Lorne McCool told councillors the increase comes even after using every cent of the millions of dollars in interest from the funds set up with the proceeds from the sale of Brampton Hydro a few years ago. Also used to bring down what could have been a much higher recommendation were: anticipated provincial gas tax money, assessment growth, drawing cash from reserves, increasing revenue where possible, and taking into account hiring gaps and cycles.
McCool told councillors 3.1 per cent of the increase is attributable to legislated requirements, collective agreements, pre-approved projects, inflation, contracts, leases, internal borrowing repayments and other commitments.
He also told councillors that, financially, Brampton is "better off than we were five years ago, better off than we will be five years from now, and better off than many other municipalities."
He said other GTA municipalities are approving tax rate hikes this year between four and six per cent. However, Toronto councillors just approved a three per cent tax hike after lengthy discussions about that city's financial woes.
Brampton Transit is the big winner in the proposed budget. The city will expand 22 of the system's 30 routes, increasing service hours by 25 per cent in May and another 6 per cent in September. Two new routes will also be opened. The city is moving toward a grid system and buses on major arterial roads won't travel into secondary roads any more, according to city staff.
To help pay for the expansion, the city would use the $2.8 million in provincial gas tax revenue it is expecting to get and transit fares would not increase this year. Increased revenue from increased ridership, development charges and taxes will pay for the rest.
All of the proposed budget increase would go toward the city's operating budget, and none would be used for capital projects. Councillors were told staff is taking a good, hard look at how they can build the roads and facilities that have been backlogged for some time now, and try not to set aside money for projects now that won't be built right away.
The proposed increase is equal to $60 on a house assessed at $250,000, according to city officials.
The budget for the mayor's office and council office was approved Monday. Councillors and non-union city workers will get a 3 per cent pay raise ($1,395) if the budget is approved by council, brining a city councillor's salary to $47,908. Brampton's regional councillors will see $1,100 added to their $37,210 salaries. The Region of Peel pays them an extra $40,000.
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