Irate CBRM councillors slam province for lack of money to fix roads

Councillors in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality are calling road spending in this year's capital budget an "embarrassment."

The $34-million budget was adopted Tuesday after several hours of heated debate. It sets aside just over $4 million for roadwork.

That's enough to fix just 37 of the 200 roads on the list for repairs.

Councillors blame the province for failing to provide any funding this year for a roadworkprogram. But as several said, they will be the onesto face the backlash from angry taxpayers.

"The people need to start reaching out to the phone numbers of their MLAsand demanding from them, why do you not have a roads programto assist our municipality to get the work that we need done?" said Deputy Mayor EldonMacDonald."And let them give them the answerbecause I'm tired of giving it to them."

There are a couple of big-ticket items in this year'scapital budget.

They include $10.5 million to build a second marine berth for cruise ships in Sydney.

There's also $4.5 million for major renovations at the Glace Bay Arena, formerly known as the Bayplex. It closed abruptly last year because of safety concerns. Refurbishing the building will cost $9 million in total.

District 8 Coun.Amanda McDougall wondered whether that work could be scaled backto free up more money for other spending.

"Is there a way for us to revisit the study that was presented to us today, and ask for various options?" askedMcDougall.

"You know, bring it back to a standard that is clean of mouldand get it operational again, and then do a phased-in approach of growing it over the years.I don't want to see this taken off the table, but if we can't afford it, we have to be creative in a way to find a solution."

But recreation officials say the work does not lend itself to a phased-in approach.

In the end, councillors voted narrowly to adopt the budget with the work for the Bayplex included, choosing instead to vent their anger at the province in the long-standing dispute over equalization.

"We wouldn't need to be making these decisionsif we were receiving the money we're supposed to be receiving," said District 11 Coun.Kendra Coombes.

"I will be more than happy to bring a bullhorn and have some chants going for everybody, if anyone's willing to do any protesting."