THUNDER BAY -- Councillors removed around $300,000 from the proposed budget Tuesday.
It spent the majority of five hours debating amendments that were ultimately lost and spent little time deferring the $300,000, for work on the pedestrian overpass near the Marina, until next year.
Mayor Keith Hobbs wanted to bump up the proposed 90 per cent sewer surcharge rate to 100 after he learned that the city could save $13 million in interest payments and take out $35 million in less debt with the move. It's currently at 75 per cent of the water rate. Council heard Tuesday that some cities charge as much as 120 per cent for sewer surcharge rates.
“It’s probably political suicide to do it," he said.
"It’s short term pain but longterm gain.”
Coun. Iain Angus said it would be prudent financial planning that would pay off for future generations.
"We look down the road and for a minor change now we can have major savings,” he said.
But a majority of councillors, including Coun. Rebecca Johnson, said with all of the rising costs, it would be better to think of people currently paying taxes.
"I care about what happens to my grandchildren but I also care about what's happening to the taxpayer in 2015,” she said.
Coun. Aldo Ruberto asked when the city was going to stop increasing costs for people in the city. Even the 90 per cent proposed charge might be too much for people when it's factored in with the three per cent water rate increase.
"In my books that’s not minor that’s major and for the people that are out there it’s major,” he said.
Taking out $734,000 in debt rather than using existing capital funds to pay for parts of the Golf Links Road work seemed like a good idea to Coun. Brian McKinnon but councillors learned that it would then have to put that money back in next year or risk clawing back the $9.5 million a year its been putting into the enhanced infrastructure renewal plan. That amendment was also lost.
"It's a fundamental choice council has to make," city manager Tim Commisso said.
"It is stepping back to fill the gap.”
The Chippewa zoo was also up for discussion, something Coun. Rebecca Johnson wants to see closed to save money. Each of the 34 animals is around $3,000 a year for a place that is seeing declining revenue.
"I would like to see us c lose that wildlife exhibit," she said.
Coun. Shelby Ch'ng wants to see it closed for different reasons, saying zoos are archaic and barbaric.
"I do not belive that we should be paying $100,000 a year to gawk at animals in cages,” she said.
Johnson could be bringing an amendment forward on the zoo Wednesday as council picks up its budget discussion again.
