Tax-and-spend budget rejected
The city’s current tax-and-spend 2023 budget proposal of almost seven percent demonstrates a stunning lack of fiscal discipline and situational awareness, says municipal watchdog Grumpy Taxpayer$.
After council capped any increase to 6.96 percent, staff proposed a mere $402,000 decrease in expenditures, leaving the operating budget of $298,173,730 virtually untouched.
On top of that, parking fee revenue will be substantially hiked by $1.8 million. Increased parking fees will likely result in a negative impact on the already struggling downtown business community.
“Time for taxpayers to send suggestions to council on bringing in a budget based on the current economic reality,” says chair John Treleaven.
“As other councils are discovering, there’s only one chance to make a first impression that meets the seriousness of the moment – this is not it.
“The current 6.96 percent budget ask is unaffordable for far too many city residents and businesses.”
- Instead of increasing parking fees, why doesn’t the council turn their attention to collecting more of the hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in unpaid fines?
- Isn’t there in-house expertise among the 1,000 or so employees to look at new off-lease dog parks instead of spending $400,000 on a consultant?
- ‘People and Culture’, whatever that is, is wanting a 38 per cent budget increase?
- Considering the current staffing level and current budget, doesn’t a 20 percent increase to $1.8 million for the communications and engagement department seems a little rich?
- How can a $2 million increase to ‘business and communications’, this after an initial trim, be justified?
- Why are there large increases year-over-year in bylaw, legal, and corporate expenses which far in excess of inflation?
- In a capital budget of $65.3 million, surely some projects can be scaled back or delayed for another year or two?
- Will the city’s share of the one billion dollars in new grants going to local governments in B.C. to help build community infrastructure and amenities decrease the capital budget ask?
- Given that annual surpluses have been escalating dramatically the past decade, can some of that money be used to moderate the tax rate?
Why won’t council recognize that city residents have the lowest median after-tax household income in the region (2021 Census), and because of that they are especially impacted by high tax rate hikes.
Does council actually believe residents and business can afford a seven per cent percent tax hike?
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Draft Financial Plan 2023-27 – Potential Changes, City of Victoria, Feb. 16, 2023.
Census Profile Victoria, 2021 Census of Population, Statistics Canada.
Council (and staff) need reality checks, Times Colonist Letters Jan. 19, 2023.
I agree with all of your concerns.
Hoping for an explanation re.the millions of dollars it would take to “update” existing washrooms.
Sabine