It looks like Kenora residents are going to be faced with an 8.12 percent tax increase this year.
Council held another budget meeting this (Thursday) afternoon and decided against cutting the budget by one percent more.
Councillor Bob Bernie says suggestions that they cut meals being delivered during long meetings just doesn’t make sense.
“This is not a popularity contest…there is a cost of doing business…that’s a minor cost,” an emotional Bernie told council at yet another budget meeting Thursday afternoon.
“To have to cannibalize ourselves here, when we fund these external agencies, it’s unacceptable and I won’t do that.”
Councillor Graham Chaze says he can live with the budget as written.
“The one percent reduction is a nice to have and get to…it’s not a necessity for me. I mean cutting some of the fire fleet reserve I can live with. Cutting the economic increase I can live with. I’m content at passing to that level. I don’t want to see recreation services or delivery changed.”
Council has decided to keep funding in place for a General Manager of Information Technology, and economic increase for non-union staff and a cut of the fire vehicle replacement program, which would have amounted to a one percent cut in the budget.
Chaze says they’ve done they job keeping the operating budget increase to 3.39 percent.
He adds they can’t do anything about the 3.57 percent increase from external agencies like the OPP, the Kenora District Services Board, the Northwestern Health Unit and the Kenora District Homes for the Aged.
(File photo)
