CITY’S FINAL OFFER FAIR FOR TRANSIT EMPLOYEES AND TAXPAYERS

As I write this column a week before it will be published, I am hoping that when you read this the OC Transpo strike will have been settled and the bus drivers, mechanics and dispatchers will be back at work. If you have not seen the measures that it has been possible to take to help residents cope with the strike, I have links on my website at www.feltmateforkanata.com.

I have also included a link to the City of Ottawa’s final offer to transit employees. The offer is an attempt to be fair to both employees and residents.

2009 BUDGET PROTECTS SERVICES FOR KANATA RESIDENTS

The 2009 City of Ottawa budget that was approved last week protects services people in Kanata value. By dealing with the deficit in the City Wide Reserve and the backlog in infrastructure renewal identified by the Auditor General, it helps make city finances sustainable in the long term. The budget taxes to the target supported by all Councillors in June.

Over $60 million in spending was cut or deferred. The budget included $37.5 million in efficiency savings and over $24 million in cuts and deferrals. However, measures that would have made children’s and teens’ sports too expensive for many families, reduced the level of care for seniors, allowed the appearance of our communities to deteriorate and left many communities without transit service were not approved.

The draft 2009 City of Ottawa budget contained a number of proposals that were unacceptable to Kanata residents. These ranged from 346% increases in sports field rental fees for children’s soccer or baseball to cutting funding to help community groups maintain outdoor rinks to reducing care levels for seniors in City of Ottawa long term care facilities.

In the course of the budget discussion we saw additional proposals from some members of council that would negatively impact Kanata and communities across Ottawa. Dealing with a threat to wooded areas in our communities and adult crossing guards are two examples.

Emerald ash borer has the potential to kill many of the City’s ash trees. As 25% of the City’s trees are ash, this could dramatically change many of our neighbourhoods. While the draft 2009 budget included funding to deal with it now before the problem gets worse, there was a motion to delay taking action. 

The draft budget also included funding for intersections that need adult crossing guards. With more children walking to school as a result of the cuts to school bus service, this is particularly serious. For parents getting adult crossing guards means their children can walk to school safely. For everyone in the community it means less traffic as more children walk and fewer get rides.

Unfortunately, after the time for presentations to council by the public was over, a motion was moved to defer the funding for adult crossing guards at locations where traffic has increased as a result of cuts to school buses. If this motion had passed, adult crossing guards would not have been in place until September 2010.

All of these measures would have harmed services that Kanata residents have identified as important. Protecting these services is why the compromise motion on the budget was necessary.

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