Windsor's 2018 budget deliberations underway

At 1:00 p.m. today budget deliberations for 2018 are startingat city hall. Councillors will discuss the operating budget report today and the capital budget tomorrow.

• Councillors predict tax increase will be lower than 2.6% ahead of budget deliberations

There are 29 delegations speaking at the budget meeting and 11 written statements. The deadline to apply was Friday at noon but council has the power to waive the rules if it sees a reason.

The City's administration had proposed a 2.6 per cent tax increase to pay the $800 million operating budget and a $643 million capital budget. But Coun. Fred Francis and Coun. Bill Marra have both said subsequent documents indicate the increase will likely be less. The amount will be decided on by council.

"Administration believes that the 2018 recommended budget achieves a reasonable balance between fiscal restraint and the desire to maintain or improve the levels and quality of services to our citizens," said administration is the opening pages of the 2018 budget package issued to the public.

Some of the suggestions made by administration to achieve the city's fiscal targets, but not recommended, include closing outdoor pools like Mic Mac Pool, Atkinson Pool and Lanspeary Pool. Also closing outdoor drinks and eliminating washing the city fleet.

Administration also included the removal of three fire trucks and associated staff for each, as well as the elimination or reduction of students and part-time staff in parks. Also, none of these suggestions is recommended by administration.

The city is also reacting to the Fair Workplace, Better Jobs Act which raises the minimum wage by suggestingthe city put aside $1 million to cover the extra costs.

The city is looking at the addition of a sharps and syringe disposal bin program. Administration is requesting $65,000 to operate up to 10 sharps disposal bins and another $15,000 for the purchase of the bin.

Here are some other notable potential spending increases:

• The City of Windsor will have to pay 20 per cent more for EMS which is run by the County of Essex. The service will cost the city about $2 million.
• The Windsor Police Servicehas requested an increase of $1.9 million for an overall operating budget of $84.3million
• The Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation has requested $492 thousand for a 4.3 per cent increase in its budget.