0
A rushed budget?
08 March 2010
[indent]The vote on the 2010 budget comes up tonight (March 8). While it's long overdue (it should have been presented in late 2009), I'm concerned that two of its foremost critics - Councillors Edwards and Foley - are both away from the table tonight.
I realize that, because of jobs, personal demands and other commitments, and the fact that we're really only part-time politicians, there are times when we can't all be at the table for votes. But this is a crucial vote. Yes, all budgets are crucial, but this is the last budget of this term and thus is doubly so. After all, once this budget is passed, this council is essentially lame. As in lame duck.
Our ability to affect any significant change in the remainder of the term - especially in the area of expenses - will be severely curtailled. We will not be able to bind the subsequent council to any such expenses anyway. Nor can we bind them to any decisions or legislation (as this council found our when the mayor and his supporters overturned the Admiral Collingwood approvals put in place by the previous council).
So, to me, this is a vote that all of council should be able to participate in. It is on this budget many of us will stand or fall if we run again.
Now I haven't always agreed with the decisions or motions of our two absent councillors. Doesn't matter. We should all be present for this and be able to make any final comments. The electorate put them in place, too.
The mayor tried to rush through the vote last week - with 15 minutes left in the meeting, he asked the treasurer to scramble together some numbers. Personally, I don't think we would have had enough time to really give those figures adequate thought in the remaining five minutes, let alone ask questions or discuss issues.
It might have worked had council voted to extend the meeting by an hour, but council never does (I'm usually the only one to vote in favour of an extension, because I believe we're elected and paid to do the business of the town, and it's incumbent on us to do it as required, regardless of our own convenience. It's very much a minority opinion, I'm afraid.)
So it comes back tonight - but with two members absent, I personally think that we should defer it until they are present. And I don't think it will seriously delay the town's business (we've had budgets passed much later in the past).[/indent]
I realize that, because of jobs, personal demands and other commitments, and the fact that we're really only part-time politicians, there are times when we can't all be at the table for votes. But this is a crucial vote. Yes, all budgets are crucial, but this is the last budget of this term and thus is doubly so. After all, once this budget is passed, this council is essentially lame. As in lame duck.
Our ability to affect any significant change in the remainder of the term - especially in the area of expenses - will be severely curtailled. We will not be able to bind the subsequent council to any such expenses anyway. Nor can we bind them to any decisions or legislation (as this council found our when the mayor and his supporters overturned the Admiral Collingwood approvals put in place by the previous council).
So, to me, this is a vote that all of council should be able to participate in. It is on this budget many of us will stand or fall if we run again.
Now I haven't always agreed with the decisions or motions of our two absent councillors. Doesn't matter. We should all be present for this and be able to make any final comments. The electorate put them in place, too.
The mayor tried to rush through the vote last week - with 15 minutes left in the meeting, he asked the treasurer to scramble together some numbers. Personally, I don't think we would have had enough time to really give those figures adequate thought in the remaining five minutes, let alone ask questions or discuss issues.
It might have worked had council voted to extend the meeting by an hour, but council never does (I'm usually the only one to vote in favour of an extension, because I believe we're elected and paid to do the business of the town, and it's incumbent on us to do it as required, regardless of our own convenience. It's very much a minority opinion, I'm afraid.)
So it comes back tonight - but with two members absent, I personally think that we should defer it until they are present. And I don't think it will seriously delay the town's business (we've had budgets passed much later in the past).[/indent]
I also think that the budget should presented clearly so that Councillors and the public could understand it. I spent some time trying to understand the proposed budget that was included in the March 1 Council agenda and found the information most incomplete. I'd recommend that no vote be taken on the budget until it can be presented in an understandable form.
Other area Councils, such as Clearview, present a clear budget which their voters can comprehend. I'm embarased that the Collingwood document is even called a budget.