A marathon day at city hall in London, Ont., Thursday resulted in city councillors agreeing on a proposed budget.
Councillors debated issues including tree planting, the Humane Society of London & Middlesex and snow removal along sidewalks in a seven-hour meeting.
In the end, council passed all staff-recommended amendments for the 2023 budget and passed or partially passed an additional six amendments.
The amendments will see the tax levy increase in London by 3.1 per cent. This means an increase of $98 on a property tax bill for the average London home valued at $241,000 in 2019.
The agreed tax levy is a reduction from the original of 3.9 per cent that was to have happened if no amendments were approved.
The total operating budget for 2023 is now set at $1,117,281,244, with capital at $447,680,000.
The discussions Thursday were part of a strategic priorities and policy committee meeting rather than regular council. London council is scheduled to approve the 2023 portion of the multi-year budget on Feb. 14.
The most colourful debate councillors took part in revolved around winter sidewalk maintenance.
A “for consideration” proposal in service reduction would have resulted in sidewalks not needing to be cleared until eight centimetres of snow had fallen instead of the previously approved five centimetres. The provincial minimum for clearing snow is eight centimetres within 48 hours of snowfall.
The proposed reduction, which would have saved $740,000, failed by a vote of 9-5.
Deputy mayor Shawn Lewis spoke out most favourably for the reduction. He cited the number of complaints now doesn’t reflect residents being any happier with the current service and how the previously approved change to five centimetres has not significantly affected sidewalk moveability.
However, councillors. including Sam Trosow, spoke out strongly against the proposed reduction citing equity and mobility in the city.
“It is impossible to negotiate the sidewalk with a walker, or a carriage, much less a wheelchair,” added Troslow.
Coun. Paul Van Meerbergen, recognizing the notable occasion of himself and Trosow agreeing on an issue, added the money saved is not worth the change in services.
“We owe it to all Londoners, but particularly our seniors and those with mobility issues, that they be encouraged particularly in the winter time … to go for that walk and get much needed fresh air and exercise,” said Van Meerbergen.
All amendments recommended by staff were approved by council before noon. These included $6.5 million in budget savings found by municipal departments, IT cybersecurity increases for city hall to the tune of $1 million and $1.8 million in new funding for a portable housing benefit and staffing resources for the city’s Roadmap to 3,000 Affordable Units Action Plan.
One proposed change to budget savings amendments put forward by Coun. Skylar Franke was to keep the planned downtown street tree planting budgeted at $225,000.
The suggestion was met with mixed responses, with some councillors saying Franke’s proposal was fair considering the associated costs compared to the overall budget. Others were sour on it as downtown tree planting is planned to be in the upcoming four-year budget discussion later this year.
In the end, the proposal failed as the vote was a tie, seven-seven. The even number was a result of Coun. Steven Hillier being absent due to a planned surgery, as per budget chair Elizabeth Peloza.
Other staff-recommended amendments affecting the tax levy are reductions in required investments for Ontario Works and Children’s Services and $200,000 in permanent funding for Y.O.U.’s Project Clean Slate program.
Funding to bring 1001 Inventions to London and an increase for Middlesex County ambulance cost-sharing funding both passed and do not affect the tax levy as the money will be pulled from a reserve fund and assessment growth revenue, respectively.
Realignment funding for London Middlesex Community Housing and transportation also do not affect the tax levy as they involved previously earmarked capital financing.
Of the nine additional amendments for consideration, two passed with no amendments, three passed with amendments, one was partially passed, one failed, and two were referred to the next multi-year budget.
Passing with no amendments was a $200,000 reduction in horticulture aesthetics and a streetscape master plan for Argyle BIA that will come from a reserve fund.
Funding for the Hamilton Road BIA at $100,000 was approved with a provision the current council can further review it before the next election and a reduction to the infrastructure gap was halved to $475,000 from $950,000.
The largest amendment in the extra consideration portion will not impact the resident tax levy.
The Humane Society of London & Middlesex requested through the London Community Grants Program $3 million in funding to help construct a new animal campus.
The funding was passed unanimously, but with a change in the source of the money. Originally slated to come from the community investment reserve fund, the money will now come from the operating reserve fund.
While the winter sidewalk maintenance reduction was rejected, cutbacks to improving streetlights and annual walkway maintenance were approved.
A reduction to the number of neighbourhood playground programs to 10 from 22 was rejected unanimously.
The items referred to the next multi-year budget are the elimination of printing agenda materials for council and an increase to the Neighbourhood Decision Making Program.
Council will meet on Feb. 14 to approve the budget.