A lack of public engagement, “sunshine list” city hall positions and no reduction in Metrobus fees are among the reasons three newly elected councillors gave a thumbs down to the 2018 St. John’s city budget.
Councillors Hope Jamieson, Ian Froude and Maggie Burton were the dissenters at Monday night’s council meeting.
For councillor-at-large Burton, keeping city expenditures the same with no increase to public services is not the direction the city should be going.
“I can accept a budget that either moves the ball forward on progressive change or on fiscal responsibility. In my opinion, this budget does not go the distance,” said Burton.
Ward 2 Coun. Jamieson didn’t speak out with Burton and Froude last week about a lack of public engagement ahead of the budget. She says in the time between, residents voiced their displeasure about a lack of public consultation.
“I really heard from residents that they needed to feel that they had more input on the way that those tax dollars were spent, and I don’t feel that a good enough job was done to include those voices in this budget,” said Jamieson.
Finance head Coun. Dave Lane says while public engagement was a challenge for this budget, the city has done plenty to put residents’ priorities in the 2018 document.
“If you look at the decisions we made, which was to keep spending where we are in preparation for an upcoming challenging three-year cycle, as well as implement an auditor general, to review Metrobus and accessible transit across the board, these were all in response to public engagement,” said Lane.
“I think we have done extensive public engagement and we’re about to engage in even more.”
Ward 4 Coun. Froude agreed with Jamieson and Burton, adding that keeping a 25-cent increase to the Metrobus fare is another reason he had to vote no on the budget document.
“Because many of the people that use Metrobus make $20,000 a year or less, that extra quarter or that $8 a month matters to the pocketbook of those people,” said Froude.
Lane says councillors decided against reversing the 25-cent increase, as a review of Metrobus will be undertaken in 2018. A change in rate could be pre-emptive of the findings of the review, Lane said.
All three opposing councillors supported the review, but say for people to wait a year to see if the fare will decrease isn’t good enough.
“I think the review is positive and important and I support that, but the result of a review may be a year and a half out by the time we get the results and are able to take action on it,” said Froude.
“That gives little break to the people who need a few extra dollars to work with on a monthly basis.”
The councillors also pointed to the creation of a policy analyst position within city hall, which adds $147,210 to the City Manager’s Office.
Coun. Jamieson says such a position shouldn’t be created when other cuts are being made.
“For example, 7.5 per cent was cut from the maintenance budget of the Buckmasters Circle Recreation Centre,” said Jamieson.
“Things like this, where we shave things off for lower-income residents and then create sunshine list positions at city hall, I don’t think is good enough for the residents of St. John’s.”
During budget discussions, Coun. Debbie Hanlon and Mayor Danny Breen pointed to the 2018 budget being the third year in the budget cycle, which meant big changes were difficult this year.
Burton disagrees.
“I don’t buy that. I believe we have $294 million and we can choose where to spend it in any given year, regardless what year in the budget cycle it is,” said Burton.
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