Some hilarious quotes about transit and other things during a presentation of the upcoming budget. I took the liberty of highlighting the dumbest/funniest comments:
Residents balk at budget
Louie Rosella
January 12, 2011
When Mississauga residents were told this evening they could be paying close to $140 more on their residential tax bill this year, their reaction was predictable.
"People have had it up to here with taxes," said an infuriated Maxwell Stuart after the City hosted its first-ever budget open house at the Living Arts Centre.
"Because of all these increases, I can no longer afford to live in a house. I have to rent in Port Credit."
Close to 100 people, including Mayor Hazel McCallion and former councillor Carolyn Parrish, showed up tonight to hear presentations from City manager and chief administrative officer Janice Baker, City treasurer and commissioner of corporate services, Brenda Breault, and the City's director of finance Patti Elliott-Spencer. It included a report on the budget as well as the City's business plan.
Homeowners will be looking at an eight per cent hike next year on the City of Mississauga portion of their property tax bill.
The anticipated 2011 increase, works out to $90.76 on the average home.
The City's portion of a property tax bill represents 28 per cent of the total bill, with the remainder split between the Region of Peel (47 per cent) and provincial government, for education (25 per cent).
With the Region expected to hike taxes by 2.5 per cent (according to City estimates), or $47.47 on the average home, and no increase anticipated at the provincial level, the average Mississauga taxpayer will likely pay an additional $138.23 in 2011.
Ward 8 resident Joe Mancini
questioned why so much of the taxpayer increase, more than a third, is going to fund Mississauga Transit when the cost to operate it far exceeds the revenue generated.
"Most of the buses are pretty empty and now we're going to add more costs," he said during question and answer period. "
This is going to impact our revenue and reserves."
Another resident says he looks out his window nightly and sees buses pass by with one person inside.
"Quite frankly, it might be cheaper to hire a taxi to get that person home," he said.
Mississauga Transit Director Geoff Marinoff said it cost $130 million last year to operate transit, while revenue brought in $56 million. But, he added, this ratio is either better or competitive with neighbouring transit systems.
Marinoff also said that
"empty buses" are a sad reality.
"Depending on where and when, you will always see empty buses," he said. "Even the TTC has empty buses."
Elliott-Spencer and Baker said the tax hike is appropriate.
"Front-line services are being maintained at existing levels," Baker told the crowd. "We've learned there is no appetite for significant service level cuts. In some areas, in fact, there's demand that they be increased."
"The cost of delivering municipal services is increasing (while) some of our program revenues declined with the economic downturn," said Baker.
Some residents criticized the 20 or so per cent in tax dollars going to Mississauga firefighters.
Baker agreed that the fire service is "an expensive insurance policy," but said its invaluable and can't be cut.
"We wouldn't get away with it, from a provincial monitoring perspective or a union bargaining perspective," she said.
The crowd also became restless when it was revealed the City is forecasting tax increases of 30 per cent over the next three years.
But, Baker said those are worst-case scenario forecasts and shouldn't be taken as gospel.
Included in this year's tax increase is a one per cent infrastructure levy, which was not part of last year's budget after City Council voted to temporarily remove it.
Labour costs are estimated to increase by about $15 million, officials say. That, coupled with revenue shortfalls in areas such as transit use, development charges and recreational user fees, as well as increased costs for fuel and material, were identified as some of the reasons for the proposed increase.
Also included in the budget is a proposal to increase recreation and parks facilities/programs user fees by 2.5 per cent and a recommendation that Mississauga Transit fees be increased in April (by as little as five cents on seniors' tickets and as much as $30 on an annual seniors' pass).
The final budget goes before City Council on Feb. 9.
lrosella@mississauga.net
http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/928603--residents-balk-at-budget
