It got mixed reviews at city council, which asked city staff to come up with budget idea
St. Catharines city council has voted to ask city staff to come up with what a 0-percent tax hike budget would look like.
A number of councillors said it wouldn't work.
Councillor Bruce Williamson said he normally would not support this idea, but council just passed a 10% property tax hike. "Not sustainable to a lot of people, not affordable to a lot of people, not responsible in a lot of ways... and the mayor, not disagreeing with him, he said the system is broken... it is broken."
Councillor Bill Phillips reiterated this is not passing a 0-percent budget, but rather 0 is a starting point of where they can build with services.
This budget idea came from Councillors Carlos Garcia and Joe Kushner, as an alternate idea to the 10-percent hike for 2024.
Councillor Caleb Ratzlaff was asked to apologize, after saying it's cowardly for the two councillors to ask staff to cut, not elected council. "I meant to direct that at this entire horseshoe. If we don't take ownership for the budget, and the services we cut, we're acting in a cowardly manner. And, so, this isn't just for the two that put this motion forward, we were elected to make hard choices.
The Mayor warned councillors against such language and decorum.
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