Public invited to city budget sessions

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star  Published: January 11, 2012 1:00 AM

Vernon residents will play a role in developing a financial plan for the coming year.  Two 2012 budget sessions will be held Thursday and Friday at city hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Residents will able to provide input to council at 11:30 a.m. each day.  “This will be an opportunity to express your views on which items in the staff’s initial budget of a 4.31 per cent increase ($1,042,126) can be cut or eliminated and what service level adjustments that will add to this percentage increase should be approved,” said Coun. Bob Spiers. “Pages 142 to 146 of the budget  have $5,208,307 worth of service level adjustments that the council will have to struggle with. Some of these will be for the sewer ratepayers but a large majority will have to be borne by the general taxpayer if approved.” Council recently established a preliminary tax increase range of zero to 2.3 per cent in 2012. Mayor Rob Sawatzky hopes residents will attend the sessions and follow the discussions among members of council. “We have to make some hard choices,” he said. “It’s good for people to know that if we fund something, we may not be able to fund something else,” he said. Coun. Catherine Lord believes the public’s interests will be front and centre during the sessions. “I am looking for efficiencies and as little of a tax increase as possible,” she said, adding that she has been reviewing the draft document. “There are some things in the budget that can be adjusted.”
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012-2016 PROPOSED Financial Plan - 29.20MB (Budget)

January 12& 13, 2012 Special Meeting of Council - Budget Start Time: 9:00am  

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EDITORIAL: Residents get their say on budget

By Editorial - Vernon Morning Star  Published: January 11, 2012 1:00 AM

Now that new Mayor Rob Sawatzky has fulfilled his promise, it’s time for other Vernon residents to do their part.  True to his campaign pledge, the mayor refused a raise the previous council had approved and is saving the city some $3,000. Obviously not a significant amount of the city’s budget, but a symbolic gesture nonetheless that signifies the mayor gets that every penny out of the taxpayers’ pocket counts for something. A good first step for Sawatzky out of the gate, plus it also shows he’s a man of his word. Now comes your turn. A pair of 2012 budget sessions are being held Thursday and Friday at city hall from 9 a.m to 4 p.m., with residents allowed to provide input daily at 11:30 a.m. Council recently established a preliminary tax increase range of zero to 2.3 per cent for the coming year. This is obviously just a guideline. Do your prefer the zero to the 2.3? Do you think any increase in taxes is unjustified? Or do you think the city’s infrastructure is in such sad shape that a larger than 2.3 per cent increase is warranted in 2012? This is the time to voice your concerns directly to an attentive council at the beginning of the budget process when it counts. And maybe you have some more specific advice about cuts that you think council should be made aware of. Some difficult choices will obviously have to be made no matter what the outcome of any tax increase or decrease, but one thing is for sure, now is the time for members of the public to step up and speak their mind.