Proposed budget tweaks as final vote looms

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This article was published 14/12/2021 (1736 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The executive policy committee approved a few city budget changes Tuesday, including measures to ensure more active transportation projects get built, if council approves.

The changes would require AT projects be included in all road renewals and direct the public service to inform council whenever rising costs or other construction obstacles impede those initiatives.

In those cases, council or one of its committees, would be presented with options to get the pedestrian and cyclist projects back on track, such as by providing more money or selecting new routes.

“This, ultimately, will result in the goal of really fulfilling the pedestrian cycling strategy,” said Coun. Scott Gillingham, finance committee chairman.

The EPC amendments did not grant requests from citizens to reverse a six per cent Winnipeg Transit service cut or fund additional actions to combat climate change (though EPC did order more consultation on green initiatives).

A Winnipeg Police Board request to eliminate the budget requirement for police to save $9 million dollars during 2022 will be voted on only by council.

However, Mayor Brian Bowman was clear he expects police to find the savings.

“I think they’ve demonstrated that they have the ability to find savings… We’ve heard from many in the community (who) want actual cuts to the (police) budget and I think what we’ve found is a responsible and balanced approach to dealing with the cost pressures,” said Bowman.

It’s unclear how much support the budget will receive when city council casts the final vote Wednesday. The 2021 budget passed in a close 9-7 vote, after multiple councillors complained about having little input.

On Tuesday, Coun. Kevin Klein and six other non-EPC councillors echoed those concerns.

“Seven councillors, (who represent) almost half the city, are tired of being left out of the process and treated differently than others,” said Klein.

Couns. Devi Sharma, Ross Eadie, Shawn Nason, Vivian Santos, Jason Schreyer and Janice Lukes also signed a news release on the topic.

While this year’s budget working group included EPC members only, Klein said he believes council’s deputy mayor and acting deputy mayor still had more influence than other non-EPC councillors.

The seven councillors who are critical of the budget will raise their own joint slate of amendments, which would: add $300,000 ($20,000 per ward) to councillors’ ward allowances; add new on-request transit service; fund $4.2 million of additional spray pads, Point Douglas secondary plans and other projects; provide $450,000 to renew Transcona Parks; and study traffic and pedestrian improvements at the local zoo.

Klein said he could not commit he or the other councillors would vote in favour of the overall budget, if those amendments were approved.

Gillingham said extensive efforts were made to include all councillors in the budget process and fund important projects in their wards. He said an EPC budget amendment that devotes $800,000 of federal gas tax grants to help fund spray pad projects at Whyte Ridge Community Centre and Maples Community Centre was one result of that consultation.

“(These) are efforts being made to ensure that priorities reflected by many of those who are not on the executive policy committee are also funded in this budget,” said Gillingham.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga