The city will soon be deliberating on the 2017 operational budget, an “Election Year Budget”.
The pressure will be on the councillors, who plan on running in the upcoming election, October 16, 2017. How high will our taxes go? How much more will we pay for water, sewer, garbage and recycling? Which other employees will lose their jobs? Will councillors get a raise?
The city is currently sitting at 66% debt capacity, but the city lost 905 residents last year, revenue is down, and their capacity has been down graded, can the city stay below their 75% imposed limit? Will the city have the ability to reverse this downhill slide we are on, and have been warned about for years?
I know, I am being a cantankerous old man, and I should look at the bright side, why, when it appears everyone looks at the bright side and ignores the bleak reality?
1970, Parkland Mall opened, making Red Deer a shopping destination across Central Alberta. It changed shopping by-laws and inspired growth, but the city turned it’s focus south, and now the Parkland Mall is but a shadow of it’s former self. Businesses are closing, sales are dismal, families are leaving, but they are still paying their taxes to pay for a trail and a footbridge, to entice shoppers away from the mall. I am being cantankerous again. I cannot help but cringe, that the city basically makes businesses on the north hill subsidize their southern competition.
A long term employee at city hall, 20 months from retirement lost her job before Christmas and I should go ooh and aah about a 20 million dollar proposed footbridge downtown. 20 million dollars so the Riverlands residents don’t have to cross the Taylor Bridge, 300m away, when they walk to Bower Ponds. Remember when Red Deer Lodge was renovating their pool, they offered their guests free access to the Recreation Centre, just 2 blocks away, and they had trouble giving them away. This foot bridge is just another shiny bauble that will cost the tax payers dearly.
The 2017 budget will see more money go towards the Riverlands, as will the 2018-2038 budgets. Let us recap the last 10 years when we spent in total about 250 million, so we can prepare for developing over the next 20 years. 135 million to move the public works, 10s of millions to re-align the roads, bury power lines, upgrade services, and ready for developing a 23 acre lot worth 30 million dollars and only 60% will be developed. If my math is correct we are selling off the developable land for 18 million over the next 20 years but we want to build a 20 million plus footbridge, a 2 million dollar trail to enhance the deal.
How do I come up with these numbers? By paying attention to the details of many different budgets.
What strikes me as odd is that the same councillors, who will argue that the footbridge is necessary so the new residents of Riverlands will not have to cross the neighbouring Taylor Bridge, sees nothing wrong with making teenagers travel all the way across the city to go to high school, or parents to travel all the way across town so their children can enjoy a public waterslide.
The 2017 budget will weigh heavily come October 16 2017 at the ballot box. The capital budget deliberated earlier hints that expenses will continue to increase, so I expect the operational budget will increase at the same or faster pace. The incumbents who campaigned last time on fiscal restraint will be tested and judged on the 2017 budget. Politicians are good at deflecting, good at politicking, and will have 9 months for damage control, but I am sure that that laid-off at Christmas mom, will remember.
I will still be the cantankerous old man, worried about how I will be able to afford all those shiny baubles the city wants. Perhaps my personal budget will necessitate my following those 905 residents who have already left Red Deer, to a less expensive city to live out my golden years? I hope not, there is a lot to be thankful in Red Deer, but I believe in equality and I do not believe in shiny baubles.
Thank you.