THUNDER BAY -- Day-cares, golf courses and garbage delivery are just three places the city can cut to lower the tax-levy increase to two per cent, says Coun. Rebecca Johnson.
The veteran municipal politician intends on Monday night to introduce more than $2 million in savings before the budget is officially approved by council.
Johnson is advocating closing city-run daycares, which would save Thunder Bay taxpayers $1 million. She also wants the city to divest itself of Strathcona Golf Course, a savings of $300,000 annually, and see the city remove $194,700 allocated to new staff hiring.
Johnson also suggests a non-essential hiring freeze.
Other cuts include removing out-of-country travel from the Sister Cities program budget ($10,000), limiting garbage pick-up to every other weeks between November and April ($200,000) and reducing the number of payment wickets at Victoriaville to two, an estimated savings of $100,000.
Late last week Johnson also called for the end to delivery of agendas to councillors and council meals ahead of weekly meetings.
Johnson’s proposal also includes $100,000 in potential savings to the police budget.
