Public invited to sound off on budget priorities

Bruce Walkinshaw - Penticton Western News Published: December 30, 2010 6:00 PM 
It’s budgeting time again at the City of Penticton. And what could be a better way to spend the first month or so of the new year than with city council trying to find over $860,000 in new revenues, efficiencies or cuts?  It all kicks off next Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. when the city’s chief financial officer Doug Leahy will host an open house to discuss the city’s 2011 budget with its citizens.  The event, according to the city, will be an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions, present ideas and “share their thoughts on costs savings, revenue generating ideas, and any other pertinent budget issues (or) concerns.”  Mayor Dan Ashton said last week that council wants as many residents as possible to contribute in the discussion.  “This will be a very open procedure,” said Ashton. “Please contact myself or any of the councillors or show up during the budget review process. We would really like to have the public’s input on this.”  According to Leahy, after a year of 30 job cuts and a vast restructuring at City Hall, the city is currently on pace for an estimated $868,000 shortfall in 2011. However, in its upcoming deliberations, Leahy said he expects council and staff will find a way to significantly reduce (if not eliminate) that number. The city is not permitted by the province to run a deficit. If council cannot find a way to eliminate the shortfall, it will either have to dip into reserves (which are in short supply), the city’s electrical utility profits (usually meant for capital projects) or raise taxes — all three options Ashton said council wants to avoid.

Instead, it seems likely council will seek other methods, which Leahy said include: “productivity, efficiencies, reviewing programs and services, tasking all departments to reinvent themselves, reviewing user fees, and reviewing civic and permissive grants.”  They may also have some carry-forward money from projects included in last year’s budget, most significantly the community centre expansion and the sewer treatment plant project, he added.  Beyond next Thursday’s open house, the city has proposed a budget deliberation schedule for Jan. 11, 12, 18, 19, 24, 25, and 31. And then again on Feb. 1 and 2, with a third reading vote on Feb. 21 and adoption on March 7.