Passed in principle, as councillors prepare to determine needs vs want
Niagara Regional council is prepping itself for a tough 2024 capital budget season.
It just passed, in principle, a tax increase of 2.5-percent, as councillors sounded the alarm taxpayers will not tolerate more increases.
Councillor Robert Foster noted this is provincewide.
"Some of the community improvement programs that Councillor Zalepa has been screaming at us for the last 5 years saying 'We can't afford this'. We're going to have to look at it seriously, so make sure you have the pencil sharpened as you're coming into this, otherwise we're looking at service cuts," he said.
Regional staff added councillors can make changes before December 7th to what they passed.
Many spoke of need vs want.
Councillor Leanna Villella recalled her father taught her if you watch your pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves. "And in my business, which I'm proud to say is 33 years later, because I counted the pennies, when things got tough, I rolled up my sleeves, I cut costs, and I learned everything I had to in business."
Councillor Tom Insinna asked that all councillors submit budget ideas to regional staff.
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