It’s the beginning of a new year and with that comes municipal budget time! Now, to be honest, tax policy is not on my top 10 list of things I want to read. However, I am a big believer in this quote from Brent Toderian: “The truth about a city's aspirations isn't found in its vision. It's found in its budget.” So, for you dear Citified readers, I have spent some time digging into the draft budgets of our local municipalities. This week I’ll share some budget basics as well as ways you can provide your input. Next week, I’ll provide a few more details on the draft budgets themselves.
“The truth about a city's aspirations isn't found in its vision. It's found in its budget.”
-Brent Toderian
Cambridge:
The 2023 Draft Capital Budget represents a $73.9 million investment in new infrastructure, the rehabilitation and replacement of existing infrastructure, and supports the overall growth of the City. The Draft Operating Budget dedicates $149.1 million toward the cost of City services, excluding water and sewer services.
Click to read the 2023 Draft Budget and Business Plan
Upcoming sessions:
February 9, 2023 - Public Delegations
February 16 & 21, 2023 - Budget Deliberations
Kitchener:
For the average home in Kitchener, the proposed rate increases for the 2023 budget are:
Property taxes: 4.8 per cent or $56 annually
Water utilities (water, sanitary & stormwater): 4.5 per cent or $42 annually
Therefore, the proposed 2023 budget represents a combined annual increase of $98 for the average household (based on the average assessed value of $326,000 and annual water consumption of 170m3).
Note that in the proposed 2023 budget, there is $1.5 million available that council can allocate towards strategic investments. This funding is available due to electricity savings from the city-wide conversion to LED streetlights and additional investment income due to interest rate increases. You can provide input on how these funds should be used via a survey on Engage Kitchener (survey closes on Tuesday, Jan. 17). Kitchener already held their public input session on Jan. 9th. Click to view Kitchener’s draft budget.
Upcoming sessions:
Operating budget day: January 16, 2023
Capital budget day: January 23, 2023
Final budget day: February 2, 2023
Waterloo:
The proposed Waterloo property tax increase is 5.35% – an average cost of $74.98 per household.
That breaks down as follows:
3.90% (or $54.68) to support existing services and funding the growth of city facilities and assets
1.0% (or $14.01) to increase investment in infrastructure renewal
0.45% (or $6.29) to deliver on new service in support of the strategic plan
The City of Waterloo’s utility rate increase is combined with the Region of Waterloo's rate increase. The 2023 proposed utility rate increase will be 5.1% which is an average cost of $59.04 per household.
Waterloo held a budget information session on Jan. 10th.
Click to view Waterloo’s budget documents.
Upcoming sessions:
January 16 Community Services department presents their business plan
January 23 Department and organizations present their business plans
January 30 Integrated Planning and Public Works department present their business plan, and staff will share public engagement results
February 6 capital budget review
February 13 budget approval day
Region:
You can review the Region’s staff report on the 2023 budget here. It notes that: “Current estimates and modelling suggest a tax levy increase in the range of 11% - 15% for Regional services. Initial estimates for the 2023 Police Services budget are for a tax levy increase in the 8% range excluding expansion requests. This would result in an overall tax increase in the range of 8% - 11%.”
Staff presented the 2023 draft budget to council last month. The document is full of information including a variety of charts and graphs that may be of interest (such as this one below). You can find additional Regional budget information here.
Upcoming sessions:
There are two planned Budget Input Sessions where you can provide your feedback directly to Council:
January 18, 2023 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
February 8, 2023 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Information about how to delegate to Council is found on the Region's website
Re: “The truth about a city's aspirations isn't found in its vision. It's found in its budget.” Our aspirations are what we "strive for, seek eagerly to attain, long to reach." They are rooted in inspiration and imagination, and achieved through effort. We have to work for them. Budgets reveal limits on what is possible, at least with regard to anything that can be achieved by investing money. The truth revealed in these numbers is that, given the restrictions on what those who represent us on municipal councils are permitted to do in an antiquated political order that defines cities as "creatures" -- in effect, dependencies or colonies -- of the province as parent or guardian, striving to attain much more than what we see in this pie chart is unconstitutional. It might be better to hold back on our aspirations until we are allowed to venture out of the nest and try our wings. We can start by gathering courage and building confidence. This won't go on forever. Fledglings are supposed to grow up, and join the flock, gaggle, murder, round, cast, museum, chime, mob, herd, band, or whatever.
Roads are a disappointingly large (largest) piece of pie