Deliberations begin for 2019 Windsor budget

"Monday's going to be an interesting day."

That was how Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens reacted Friday, following the news of 1,500 jobs lost at the Windsor Assembly Plant — and heading into municipal budget deliberations.

Delegations begin at 1 p.m. Monday, with 27 people scheduled to speak and eight written submissions from Windsor residents, businesses and community organizations.

Budget discussions will continue Tuesday, again at 1 p.m. 

According to budget documents, administration is recommending a 3.3 per cent tax increase, which is split into 1.6 per cent for city departments and 1.7 per cent for agencies, boards and committees. Essentially, council will have a say on the city department budgets, but there is little control over the 'ABCs,' as they're referred to. 

"We come down to a number we think is fair and reasonable," said Dilkens, adding that during the election and during his December address, he committed to an increase at or below the rate of inflation.

"There are pathways to get there where residents would feel no pain, no service cuts and still receive great service from the city," said Dilkens. 

The city of Windsor recently went eight years with no increase.

ABCs — agencies, boards and committees

City-funded agencies, boards and committees include organizations like the health unit, conservation authority and emergency services. 

Administration had asked these groups to keep their 2019 budget requests "for an amount no greater than your approved 2018 amount," according to budget documents.

Many ABCs complied, with the exception of 7 groups.

Pre-approvals, priority increases and reductions

The recommended budget is broken down into four sections:

• Recommended pre-approvals and pressures with little or no council discretion — items previously approved by council, including contractual or legislative increases
• Highest priority budget increases recommended by administration — items identified to avoid significant deterioration to services
• Priority budget increases recommended by administration to maintain or improve service levels — in addition to maintaining service, these items may also stabilize and improve "key core services to the public"
• Reductions recommended by administration — reductions may result from new or increased revenue fees

Four more sections include additional reduction options, enhancements and increases requested by agencies, boards and committees. These sections are not part of the administration-recommended budget.

Councillor priorities

"As I've been telling a lot of residents, this is an investment-type budget," said Ward 3 Coun. Rino Bortolin, naming policing and sewer surcharges as key players in the increase.

"Adding 24 police officers to the force over the last year, new positions in parks. To me, we have to start looking at property taxes as investments in our neighbourhood."

Bortolin said in the last eight years population was shrinking, but Windsor is now in a "growth pattern."

Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie is excited to "dig in" to the process and hear from delegates Monday.

"We have to make significant investments into our community. They're no secret. Homelessness, infrastructure deficit ... these are things we need to be attacking in earnest," said McKenzie. 

Both councillors agreed that a 3.3 per cent increase sounds like a lot, but for the $150,000 home (assessed value) it's about $8 to $10 a month more.

"It's no secret that I've been pushing for enhancements in alley infrastructure," said Bortolin, listing his priorities. "Investments in parks, the police investment, public housing. When you drill down, it's things that make your neighbourhood better."

For McKenzie, infrastructure and homelessness and mental health issues are priorities, as well as the $90 million being invested into the sewer master plan.

Bortolin said he thinks the increase will land closer to 2 or 2.2 per cent, which lines up with the rate of inflation.

"It's completely fair to have that target," said Bortolin. "My number would be about 2.5 because I think there are a lot of investments we need to make."

Bortolin said even though he has a number he'd like to see, we should be talking about the level of service, not the level of increase. 

McKenzie said his constituents have a general concern about the cost of living, but most recognize they have an expectation in service levels.

"There's a sense of preparedness, that if people can feel the increases affect their lives in a meaningful way, they'll be comfortable moving forward," said McKenzie. 

Delegations

Delegations are permitted to speak for about five minutes and had to apply by noon on Friday, March 29 to appear.

Speakers will be heard from the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation — a group asking for a 3.9 per cent increase of $469,845 — and on topics including the voucher program for feral cats, bulk pick up, alleys, arts funding, and the Riverside break wall. 

Bortolin and McKenzie expect a proposed increase to funding for Bright Lights will be a point of debate — administration has listed the holiday lights display as a "highest priority budget increase" at $235,500. 

"It's hard because you're juggling priorities," said Bortolin. "We're not accepting position to deal with traffic calming or to institute our active transportation master plan."

Budget deliberations will be live streamed on the city's website.