City council discussed reducing recruitment expense by $200,000 in order to save for taxpayers
There will not be a $200,000 reduction in doctor recruitment incentives in Niagara Falls, in order to reduce the 2026 tax bill, or budget, by less than $4 a year for a taxpayer.
Council voted against Councillor Lori Lococo's idea, who says the municipality is doing the province's job.
While agreeing doctors are needed, Councillor Mona Patel said we pay income tax, which includes health tax. "Small municipalities have to come up with lots of money to compete with larger municipalities to get the doctors, and this is being put on the tax levy, putting more stress on the taxpayers. How far are we going to go with this practice, now it's $100,000, maybe next year will be $150,000?"
She added there has to be other ways to attract doctors, while most councillors said health care is too important to drop $200,000.
Mayor Jim Diodati echoed sentiments of councillors who say nothing tops health care. "Even above roads, roads are #1 on everyone's list, but above that is health care... hands down, it's health care. It's about having access to doctors so you can get referrals to specialists, but it's the situation we're in, but for whatever reason we don't have enough doctors."
City staff say the city is short about 36 doctors, but five are expressing interest.
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