The 2012 Budget>

With the process now in the final stretch here's an update on your pocket book.
As of this day, your total municipal tax increase is 2.3 per cent with point three of that, education tax. In other words as we get into the nitty gritty the City of Hamilton tax increase is 2 per cent or an increase of 68 dollars based on the average residential assessment of 258 thousand dollars. Where do we stand compared to other communities you might wonder?  Ottawa has already approved a 2.39 per cent increase. Kingston has approved a 3.5 per cent increase. Haldimand has a target of 3.1 per cent with Niagara already approved at 3.14 per cent. Toronto of course is currently in the final stages of haggling over a 2.5 per cent increase. Indeed, only York Region projected at 1.8 per cent is lower than Hamilton in all the Province of Ontario for significant municipalities. Several councillors today praised city staff for the work they have already done and emphasised to the City Manager Chris Murray that this message needs to be passed along to not only naysayers within the city but those who bash Hamilton from outside our city limits. Is the city done with this budget process? Absolutely not. Thursday and Friday of this week Boards and Commissions will make their presentations. On the 30th of the month individual city departments will present their numbers and their requests going forward in greater detail than we have seen so far. What are some of the challenges going forward? Sixteen items have been referred by Council to the 2012 budget. If all were approved the total tax increase impact would be .8 per cent, so council will have to tread carefully. As well, there are 5 requested enhancements that need to be dealt with. If they were all approved the increase would be .06 per cent. So as you can see there are outstanding issues to the tune of  an .86 per cent increase on top of the current position of 2 per cent that need to be dealt with.
For those of you watching this process keep an eye on Public Works and Social Services understanding that if the City is going to try and get below 2 per cent the cuts will have to be made from only a third of total spending. The other two thirds are locked in, from the Police Service budget to the Hamilton Conservation Authority. The city of course can appeal any increases but two thirds of the budget is under a higher authority where appeals rarely are received well. The final budget process begins in earnest on February 7th with public delegation received on the 15th. The final budget will be ratified by council on March 7th. Stay tuned because now favourite causes in each ward of the city come under scrutiny. I will be at City Council Wednesday evening and back at the General Issues Committee Thursday and Friday for those Board and Commission presentations. Cheers.