LETTER: City budget lacks transparency

There is much to criticize in the proposed 2017 City Budget.

In a media release last year, TBAYTEL stated they will increase the dividend paid to the city to  $17.375 million for 2017 up from the $17.25  million they were to be given in 2016.

Hopefully the management at TBAYTEL are aware that in the 2017 City Budget, it shows the city receiving a dividend payment of $18.375 million  (Note: $1.0 Million more than in the media release))  from them. Is this how the city manger managed to decrease the proposed tax levy increase, with this indirect tax paid by TBAYTEL customers. The city budget summary also shows that the city only received  $17.0 million , not the $17.25 million that was promised by the utility in 2016.

Why will TBAYTEL be increasing dividends to the city in a year when they will be taking on more debt? This will bring the total city debt to almost $200 million from the $169 million it was when most of the present council and mayor first took office.

Is it because of new accounting methods that city administration does not disclose that it is further increasing the city debt by $4.0 million to pay for the radios for emergency services in the Budget Summary under Debenture Financing?

Something this council and administration  should keep in mind if they review the 2016 BMA study that compares 105 Ontario municipalities for costs. They should remember most Ontario municipalities do not own their own telephone utility or a casino which should keep costs down for the City of Thunder Bay, but the costs  still are above average in most categories.

Speaking of the BMA study, why does the city not disclose courthouse security costs which comes under the jurisdiction of the Thunder Bay Police Service to the province as some other municipalities do?

Why that service cries for more and more money year after year from the city especially now that the province is now giving them more than $1.0 million to help with  court security costs and yet Oliver Twist (police chief)wants more.

Council can easily reduce some of the proposed $6.3 million increase to the 2017 Municipal Tax Levy.

As a final note, for those of you who get a recreational burning permit, I suggest you purchase it before the city budget gets rubber stamped, as the Thunder Bay Fire Service wants to soak you for an extra $10 for the permit this year.

Henry Wojak,
Thunder Bay