Rollins to vote against city budget Wednesday

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This article was published 28/01/2025 (272 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A city councillor says she will vote against this year’s budget due to her concerns about governance and transparency, after she abruptly resigned from executive policy committee last week.

Sherri Rollins says she will oppose the budget in a final council vote Wednesday. Rollins said the financial blueprint lacks critical information, including details about the next round of water and sewer rates, which she expects could have a major effect on the affordability of city services.

“We should not be passing a budget until we have that information and Winnipeggers can see it… When you (are) missing a critical detail about water and sewer bills that householders will pay, it should be incorporated immediately,” said Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry).

With a north end sewage treatment plant upgrade slated to cost at least $2.38 billion, a price staff warn could rise to around $3 billion, the councillor said there’s a clear risk Winnipeg utility rates could skyrocket to help pay for it.

Since city staff have said the next round of water and sewer rates should be determined by February, Rollins believes that key information is being withheld at the political level.

“I left EPC because budget is a confidence motion. I’ve been concerned about matters of principle, transparency, governance… With respect to transparency, the (proposed) tax increase is (5.95) per cent. It does not account for (water and sewer rates),” she said.

In budget notes provided to the Free Press, the councillor said approving the budget before releasing the latest utility rates “fails to provide a clear picture of how these increased rates will impact households.”

Rollins is critical of the plan to raise millions in revenue each year from a 911 fee of $1 per month on all local cellphones and landlines registered to Winnipeg addresses. She called that “pretend” earnings since the city doesn’t have senior government approval to charge the levy.

The budget predicts that fee will raise $3.75 million in 2025 and $7.5 million in each of the following two years.

Rollins also fears a directive to have the city’s chief financial officer find more than $51 million of savings throughout this year will lead to staff shortages, which could result in a surge in overtime and workers compensation board claims.

“I’m asking to stick the pause button on this budget, move it to February and let’s do this thing right,” she said.

In an email, Mayor Scott Gillingham said water and sewer rates have always been addressed separately from the budget process.

“Staff are finalizing a report to ensure councillors have all the necessary information to make decisions about funding the north end (sewage treatment plant). Once that report is ready, it will be dealt with publicly by council,” wrote Gillingham.

The mayor’s statement noted Rollins was on EPC when the budget was drafted and tabled, and for several weeks after its release.

“This is the first I’m hearing of these concerns, so I question the sincerity. At city hall, we don’t have confidence votes, we vote on the budget. If you support investments in public safety, housing, youth recreation, and infrastructure, vote for the budget. If you don’t, vote against it. It’s that simple,” he wrote.

Coun. Janice Lukes, a member of executive police committee, said she believes councillors do know enough to make an informed budget vote, while she also believes sewer and water rates are still being determined.

Lukes (Waverley West) said an extensive effort was made in the budget process to keep taxes and fees reasonable.

“We had a $200-million hit with COVID. We are scraping the bottom of the barrel, without a doubt… All things considered, we are trying to make it as affordable as humanly possible,” said Lukes.

She said she “100 per cent” supports the budget.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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