This is the Council that only comes to a consensus on trivial matters that push political agendas. There are personal animosities at work that have fractured the ability of this Council to reach unilateral decisions on virtually any topic.
The gamesmanship and thinly-veiled personal attacks across the table strike many as juvenile and counter-productive to accomplishing anything of substance. Voting blocks established shortly after the last election remain firmly in place, neither side showing any appetite for compromise or teamwork in order to best serve those who elected them.
Mayor Al McDonald, in an address to Council voicing his support for the 2017 operating budget, said, "Do I think that we need to find every efficiency in our budget? Absolutely. And if you want to spend every night in the summertime looking over the budget, instead of taking holidays, I'll be right there with you.
"But, when I show up at budget meetings and I see some of my colleagues not there, I get a little concerned. When I see individuals that are hardworking around our table, I have the greatest respect for them, even if I do not agree with them."
Although the City's 2017 operating budget gained approval at Monday's City Council meeting, not too many around the table seemed completely pleased with the final product. To a man (Council's lone female member, Coun. Tanya Vrebosch was absent) it seemed that begrudging consent, rather than overwhelming support was the order of the day.
When it was clear that the operating budget would pass, McDonald weighed in on the process, saying, "I really enjoyed the debate that went around the table, with everybody fighting for what they thought was important, and don't get me wrong, everybody fought for something. It's about compromise, and the goal that I heard from members of Council was under two per cent," levy increase.
The 1.97 per cent levy increase is derived using growth assessments that will reduce the actual 2.72 per cent budget-to-budget increase of $2.2 million.
The Mayor added, "Our debt is projected to go down by $10.5 million since 2015. That's important, but I didn't hear that around the table. We're reducing our borrowing from $8.5 million to $5 million per year. That is important. For the people who feel that it is OK for our debt to go up, I don't agree with you, I prefer that our debt goes down."
McDonald also pointed out that in the last five years, 25 per cent of North Bay's roads have been resurfaced. This budget is also heavy on infrastructure spending, much of it in conjunction with funding from the province or federal government. The Trout Lake and Lakeshore overpasses are being refurbished, and the revitalization of King's Landing has been allocated $2.5 million in this budget. Pearce Street resurfacing, a project that has been needed for some time will be started in 2017.
"What keeps me up at night is we're spending six to eight months doing a budget, and we're not doing enough to help our city. I hope the budget passes tonight so that we can do the work that we were elected to do," said McDonald.
In discussion before the vote, the operating budget received lukewarm support.
Coun. Vaillancourt: "We did a fair job."
Coun. Shogren: "Could we have gone lower? Yes."
Coun. Maroosis: "To get to zero, we would have to cut capital projects."
Coun. Mayne: For a homeowner with a property valued at $330,000-$350,000, "$4,000 is a reasonable expectation on your tax rate."
Anthony, one of the two dissenters to the operating budget, said, "It's all perspective. I have a different view. If a person is already carrying a 100-pound burden, and we say 'we're just adding 1.9 pounds more,' I think it's still too much."
Anthony added that the lower income families, as well as the "shrinking middle" class, are facing economic realities more and more. Anthony noted that there are businesses and individuals who are prospering, who may not feel a tax hike is a burden.
"I do believe the middle class are having a rougher and tougher time," said Anthony.
Later, McDonald expressed his dismay at the support gained by Coun. Mike Anthony and his motion, seconded by Coun. Mark King, to deny the police service budget asking for a 3.9 per cent increase. The amendment advises the police service to try to get below the 2 per cent increase level.
"Just to be clear, they don't have a budget," announced McDonald, "send it back."
Anthony pointed to what he termed as inflated projections for the 2017 police budget, amounts greater than what the police service had spent to date in 2016 for maintenance of quarters, fleet, and administrative services.
The motion passed, with Councillors Vaillancourt, Bain and Mayne dissenting.
