Sudbury city councillors rank, choose 17 of 31 budget 'options'

On top of looking at how to allocate money for core city services, Greater Sudbury city councillors also had to rank their priorities for bells and whistles spending in the 2016 municipal budget deliberations — and 17 of 31 pitches made the cut. 

• Sudbury councillors approve 3.9% property tax hike

Rolled into the $519 million budget set Wednesday night — which translates into a 3.9 per cent hike in property taxes — are the so-called "budget enhancement options."

Three of those pitches came from public submissions. But, by and large, councillors had to decide which of their own resolutions or departmental submissions would be the priorities. 

The 12 ward councillors and Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger ranked each option on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 meaning "strongly disagree with implementation of the option," and 10 meaning "strongly agree." 

Options that got the highest point total when the numbers were tallied got the green light.

Highlights

Most support: Councillors had no problem giving high points to projects that wouldn't cost anything or could even mean savings. Most councillors agree, for example, that people should cover the cost of "services performed [that] either benefit individuals requesting the service, relate to non-compliance of an order or notice, or a matter that is private in nature." 

Least support: With 18 meagre points, a suggestion to reduce transit user fees by 10 per cent from 2015 rates — which could have cost the city about $920,000 in revenue — tanked. 

Just missed the mark: By only five points, a pitch to provide one-time funding of $20,000 for the Municipal Heritage Committee Advisory Panel operating costs. Similarly, the Seniors Advisory Panel also missed out on $20,000. Ward 9 councillor Deb McIntosh said giving the funding would have set a bad precedent: "It's another HCI (Healthy Community Initiative) fund. It's another discretionary fund that's going to be directed by another group."

Overall stand-out priority: Transit and transit-related matters dominated the rankings. Councillors gave big points to a plan to "provide funding for a full time permanent active transportation coordinator position." Other successful ideas: "provide funding to implement a new transit low income pass," and "provide $43,000 of funding to enhance bus stop winter maintenance at 100 additional bus stops." 

Noteworthy: Five splash park projects around Greater Sudbury — including a one-time $100,000 cheque to build one at the Onaping Falls Community Centre — got the go-ahead. The total splash park investment is pegged at $300,000. Not popular: a proposal to provide $50,000 per year for two years to "2 portable skateboard parks." 

Mayor's votes: Sudbury mayor Brian Bigger abstained from ranking three options. In once case, because of a family conflict at Health Sciences North involving the PET scanner. He gave low grades towards spending $300,000 on five new splash parks. But he gave top marks to transit improvements, such as the implementation of a travel familiarization program for specialized users and attendants.

After the budget was finalized, Bigger said the investments in transit show council is "moving in the right direction" when it comes to infrastructure investment.

See complete descriptions of Sudbury's 2016 budget enhancement options here.