“Why can’t you show us the money?” That is the question put Wednesday to Vancouver city manager Penny Ballem at a council meeting on planning. At issue as council reviews the 2012-13 budget outlook is a concern that the city is moving away from transparent, detailed budgets in favour of big contextual statements in a “modernized budget process.” NPA Coun. George Affleck slammed what he called the city’s new “less-is-more” reporting approach, which omits line-by-line details in favour of broad strategic fiscal statements. “I think Bernie Madoff might agree with you on less is more,” Affleck told a city financial services manager. “Why can’t you show us the money?” NPA Coun. Elizabeth Ball asked Ballem. Ballem responded that consultant PWC has advised the city to give the public strategic views of what tax money is buying them, rather than line items on spending minutiae. “You have to trust staff,” Ballem said to Affleck’s loud snickering. Mayor Gregor Robertson defended the new “modernized budget approach” and said: “I take great exception with Coun. Affleck teeing off on the staff.”
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