2012 Budget

I am pleased to have been selected by my colleagues to serve as Chairman of the City’s Budget and Corporate Services Committee for 2012. The biggest job faced by this committee is the establishment of the annual City budget and subsequently identification of the need for any property tax increase. Budget debate is just beginning. At this point we are looking at a proposed 2012 operating budget of $196 million dollars. That’s up 4.5% over 2011, but includes additional costs related to the expansion of the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital. If there are no changes to the proposed budget it would result in a 3.4% City tax increase which, when combined with the Regional increase, results in an overall tax increase of about 1.8%. This is about $18 per $100,000 worth of assessment. Please remember: this is all preliminary. Council will be engaged in significant debate over this budget during the months of February and March.

Naming New City Park

“New City Park” was never actually the name of the City’s newest and largest park in Tyandaga. With the official opening planned for June the City will be getting public input on the name for the new park. First the City will consult with related organizations such as the Niagara Escarpment Commission, the Bruce Trail Association, Sustainable Development Committee, Historical Society and various other groups. A short list of 3 to 5 names will be created. Then, from February 2nd to February 15th the public will be asked to vote online for their favourite name.
The new park is at the corner of Kerns Road and Dundas Street. It includes 150 acres of active and passive park space . Eventually, the park will have five soccer fields, two baseball diamonds, walking trails, pavilion and washroom facilities, playground equipment, parking for 650 vehicles and a seated venue accommodating 1,500 spectators.

Beach Master Plan

Halton Regional Council has agreed to a City of Burlington request to study the question of whether the private homes on the beach should remain there. This creates an opportunity for public discussion about the viability of this residential neighbourhood (29 homes). The Beach Master Plan currently calls for all those homes to be bought up by government as the area is slowly developed into a full Regional Park. City, Regional and Conservation staff all support buying up the homes. Obviously the people who live on the Beach are unhappy about the plan. Burlington city Council has also signaled that it does not necessarily support the idea. The study is expected to parallel the overall Beach Master Plan Update process throughout 2012.