NEW POLICY ON GATEWAY FEATURES REDUCES THE COST TO THE CITY

With the adoption of a new policy on gateway features last week, the impact of these features on the City budget will be reduced. Since 2004 we have been allowing developers to build new gateway features without having the funds in the budget to maintain them. As a result the City found itself having to spend money when serious problems developed.

That made no sense. Last year I moved a motion at Planning and Environment Committee to put an end to the practise. The result was the adoption of design guidelines for gateway features this week.

The guidelines do not go as far as I would like, but they are a step forward. My original motion suggested that since there was no funding to maintain them that new gateway features not be permitted. What we have instead is a restriction on the number of new gateway features and a requirement that developers building gateway features provide funds to cover the maintenance costs.

Developers build gateway features to help sell homes. As developers benefit from these features it is only fair that they be required to help pay maintenance. The new guidelines will reduce the cost of new gateway features and reduce the cost to taxpayers. 

WHEN HALF OF BUDGET IS UNTOUCHABLE CUTS ARE HIGHER 

One question that comes up frequently in the budget discussion is why many of the proposed cuts are so drastic. Increasing soccer field rentals by 346%, eliminating bus routes used by over 1,000 people a day and reducing the level of care in seniors homes all have a serious impact so why are these measures even being put forward.

The reason we see these type of measures proposed is that when staff are looking for cuts half of the City budget is off limits to them. Of the $2.2 billion in the city budget, 29.6% is for services the City is required by provincial legislation to provide. This includes social assistance, public health, social housing, long-term care, childcare, and the City payment towards the cost of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.

Another 19.7% is for emergency services like policing, fire protection and paramedics which council instructed staff not to cut. Then 5.6% is the contribution for renewing City infrastructure like sewers, water pipes, roads and arenas. With the concerns raised by the Auditor General about the need to catch up on renewal work, cuts to infrastructure funds are not realistic.

That means that any cuts have to come out of the remaining 45.1%, which covers all remaining city services ranging from recreation to garbage collection to development approvals to transit to road maintenance. However, of that $1.011 billion, $649 million comes from user fees and other grants and $363 million comes from taxes. Any reduction in spending to keep the tax rate down must come from programs funded by the $363 million.

WORKING FULL-TIME FOR KANATA SOUTH

I appreciate the chance to hear from you about issues affecting our community. You can reach me at 580-2752 (office), 580-2762 (fax), www.feltmateforkanata.com or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca