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Council unanimously passes $774.6M 2018 Operating Budget

PHOTO. Jubilee Centre. Sarah Anderson. REPORTER.

Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the 2018 Operating Budget and 2019-2020 Financial Plan.

The municipality will operate on a $774.6 million budget, $94.6 million less than last year’s.

Mayor Don Scott said the $94.6 million reduction comes from a lot of savings, projects not going forward and projects mayor and council believe are not needed.

“The municipal budget affects everyone in the region, which is why we are committed to both fiscal responsibility and developing fiscal strategies that are sustainable into the future,” Scott added.

The Wood Buffalo Library Board’s budget was reduced by $200,000. Corinna Pirie, a member of the board voiced their concerns that the cut in funding will mean a cut in programs and services.

Sustainival was another organization that spoke out about the municipality cutting it’s funding.

“Doing a budget process you’re not going to make everyone happy. The simple thing to do is give everybody everything they want, that is no longer possible,” said Mayor Scott. “We need to start making decision that are good for all the tax payers, we can’t simply do what has been done before. That is what this council embraced and that is what we are going to do going forward.” 

With the provincial government introducing Bill 21 and Bill 8 Mayor Scott said resident should expect reduced budgets every year.

“It may not be this much [$94.6M] but we are certainly going to have to show a significant change from what was done previously. There is a $200-million reduction over a 10 year period, that is the path we are currently on.”

 

Zero-based budgeting was introduced in 2017 and since then the municipality has shaved $141.6 million off the budget.