Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Rookie councillor to head city's finance committee
St. James Coun. Scott Fielding is Winnipeg's new budget boss after Mayor Sam Katz shuffled his inner circle in time for the city to hammer out next year's spending plans.
On Wednesday, four out of six members of city council's executive policy committee will receive new jobs when council holds its annual organizational meeting, a largely ceremonial confirmation of committee responsibilities.
The most significant move is the replacement of St. Norbert Coun. Justin Swandel with rookie councillor Fielding in the role of finance committee chairman.
Swandel, a Liberal-affiliated centrist, recently finished devising a draft version of the 2010 capital budget, a spending blueprint for road repairs, new construction projects and major equipment purchases next year. EPC plans to table the document on Nov. 16.
Fielding, a Conservative who once led a commission to explore ways to eliminate Winnipeg's business tax, will be in charge of the city's purse strings in time to write the 2010 operating budget, a road map for spending on programs such as policing, firefighting, insect control and library services.
The timing is crucial because Katz wants to freeze Winnipeg's property taxes for the 13th straight year in 2010, which is an election year. The mayor is under tremendous pressure to increase property taxes, now that Winnipeg has one of the lowest municipal tax regimes in Canada and the province might be reluctant to help out at budget time if Winnipeg does not exhibit a willingness to shoulder some of the financial pain. Fielding, however, said he will do everything possible to achieve another tax freeze. "I think a property-tax freeze is something we need to take a look at that. I think it makes us more competitive as a city," he said. Swandel, meanwhile, was one of four EPC members who argued in favour of a property-tax increase this year but failed to sway the mayor. Swandel said he was not pushing for an increase in 2010, but conceded it will be difficult for Winnipeg to balance its operating budget without more revenue.
"Fundamentally, I wasn't going in the same direction as the rest of the group, both administratively and politically," he said, adding it was time to leave his finance job because he wasn't making enough progress in his efforts to convince city departments to free up cash from dormant or completed capital projects.
Swandel said he asked the mayor to place him charge of the downtown development committee, instead.
Shuffling the chairs
Council's new executive policy committee:
Scott Fielding (St. James-Brooklands): The rookie councillor become finance committee chairman just in time to hammer out the 2010 operating budget. Katz, who's pushing for another property-tax freeze next year, will benefit from an ideologically like-minded individual in this position.
Gord Steeves (St. Vital): Steeves leaves his longtime gig as protection chair to assume responsibility for property and development, which Fielding handled for the past year.
Mike Pagtakhan (Point Douglas): Gets a promotion of sorts. Now responsible for protection and community services.
Justin Swandel (St. Norbert): Gives up finance to chair the downtown development committee, which didn't do very much under previous chairs Franco Magnifico, Russ Wyatt or Mike Pagtakhan. Also remains deputy mayor.
Bill Clement (Charleswood-Tuxedo): Holds on to public works committee.
Mike O'Shaughnessy (Old Kildonan): Remains secretary of strategic infrastructure renewal.
Sam Katz (Mayor): Remains EPC chair and urban-aboriginal secretary. Also gives himself new title of intergovernmental affairs secretary.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 3, 2009 B2
The comment period for this story has ended.
-
Breaking News Alerts
Sign up for our new Breaking News Alerts
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins
-
Winnipeg road closures
Check if your commute is affected
-
Blogs to Watch
We pick our favourite local blogs for you to follow
-
Breaking News Widget
Create and embed a Winnipeg Free Press breaking news widget on your site or blog
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and news feeds on Twitter
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular
- Hells clubhouse seized
- Bombers stamp out fun: fans
- City family's return from vacation turns tragic
- Corydon bar employee charged in man's death
- Second son dies after Kenora crash
- Hydro picks its west side route
- Happy hubby loves wife's nudity
- Girl tries to kill self at MYC
- Cost jump could change stadium design
- River Rouge runs aground
- Victims of deadly crash are from Winnipeg
- Tornado touches down near Oakbank
- City family's return from vacation turns tragic
- Man killed in motorcycle crash with car
- Night storms jar Manitoba with tornado, washed out roads and hail
- Man drowns in Whiteshell
- Monarch migration mystery solved by Canadian researchers
- Ice Edge loses exclusivity edge in Coyote deal
- Meat Loaf taken off MTS Centre’s menu
- Grandparent scam becoming more common in city
- What's 2204355? It's the latest unexplainable web trend
- Lundar resident faces charges over 911 calls
- Victims of deadly crash are from Winnipeg
- Katz dating younger woman -- but that shouldn't matter
- Teen takes own life after alleged assault
- Have the province and city gone too far in naming a lake and community centre after Jonathan Toews?
- Body found at The Forks tentatively identified
- Human head found at The Forks
- Body found near Grant Park
- Churches crumble across U.S.
- Hells clubhouse seized
- Bombers stamp out fun: fans
- Hydro picks its west side route
- Cost jump could change stadium design
- Cost flap delays start on stadium
- Housing project future of infill
- Three dozen neglected dogs destroyed
- Winnipeg police unveil new decal, motto
- Hey, hey, my, my... why do some fans behave like boors?
- Montana officials trap grizzly, 2 of her 3 cubs, after campground mauling that killed man
- The Oxy dilemma
- Cruisers curse police checks
- Winnipeg police unveil new decal, motto
- Hells clubhouse seized
- Bombers stamp out fun: fans
- Hydro picks its west side route
- Nursing students' careers put on hold
- Program to train aboriginal railway conductors
- Cost jump could change stadium design
- Core chaos shuts eatery's doors
- Katz dating younger woman -- but that shouldn't matter
- The Oxy dilemma
- Bombers boot beer snake
- More than 100 motorists charged under cellphone law
- Cruisers curse police checks
- Winnipeggers demonstrate against G20 protesters' treatment
- Winnipeg police unveil new decal, motto
- Hells clubhouse seized
- 'Dream home' lost, family devastated
- Bombers stamp out fun: fans
- WWII Lancaster Bomber flies into Winnipeg today
- Hydro picks its west side route
- Girl tries to kill self at MYC
- School staffer faces charges for sex crimes
- Province cautious on trials for multiple sclerosis therapy
- Corydon bar employee charged in man's death
- Housing project future of infill
- River Rouge runs aground
- Unfair to students
- Montana officials trap grizzly, 2 of her 3 cubs, after campground mauling that killed man
- Nasty, poisonous plant causes burns, blindness
- Night storms jar Manitoba with tornado, washed out roads and hail
- Nursing students' careers put on hold
- Old, new songs forever Young
- Woman who survived bear attack in US says she played dead to get the animal to leave her
- Saskatchewan premier calls for clinical trials of controversial MS treatment
- Liquid calories
- Tornado touches down near Oakbank
- Computer wiz's alter ego: Sir Lance-a-Lot
- WWII Lancaster Bomber flies into Winnipeg today
- Lundar resident faces charges over 911 calls
- Protection or peril?
- Nasty, poisonous plant causes burns, blindness
- Night storms jar Manitoba with tornado, washed out roads and hail
- Osteoporosis Canada issues updated vitamin D guidelines for bone health
- Nursing students' careers put on hold
- Last Grapes restaurant out of business
- A Royal whirlwind: The Queen's day in Winnipeg
- Bombers boot beer snake
- Katz dating younger woman -- but that shouldn't matter
Events
July 30, 2010
Gavins Chance for Change
Golf Tournament Fundraiser includes 18 holes of golf, cart, smokie or hamburger for lunch and banquet dinner. Registration at 8:30 a.m. Shotgun start at 10 a.m. ...
0 Comments
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.