CALGARY – Mayor Naheed Nenshi is hoping his fellow councilors will agree to use an unexpected multi-million dollar windfall to help rebuild the city after last month’s flooding.
Councilors announced in April they would have an extra $52 million to spend, due to a discrepancy in taxes.
Originally, the Mayor and city councilors debated five different uses for the money, including the lowering of tax rates for businesses – and investing in maintenance for older neighbourhoods.
They also held a series of public consultations to see how taxpayers thought the money would be best spent.
However, after the city was rocked by devastating flooding in late June, the mayor is now suggesting council should use the money to rebuild Calgary.
On Monday, Nenshi introduced a motion which would combine the windfall with another $52 million budgeted for next year, to give councilors a total of $104 million to use for flood mitigation and prevention.
The motion would allow council members revisit the five original spending options again past 2015.
The city has pegged the initial cost of the flood at $256.6 million, including damages to major parks, the Calgary Zoo, riverbanks and City Hall.
– With files from David Boushy
Comments