Facing another large increase to the city’s tax portion, the only part of the property bill Brampton’s council members and city staff are paid to manage, it remains unclear what they are doing to address issues such as stifling traffic, bed shortages in hospitals and the lack of a major university presence as the population continues to swell.

Transit expansion, local health care and post-secondary education are all features that municipalities are expected to help fund. In Brampton’s case, the lack of a funding strategy for such crucial issues is almost comical considering that the sprawling growth creating all the demand has been ushered in by developer-friendly politicians and compliant staffers with little concern for what to do about the resulting growth pressures now crippling the city.

Meanwhile, as stated in 2015 by former Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter, who was hired for an independent audit of the city’s finances, “Even though the city has collected 120 per cent more revenue in property taxes than it did a decade ago, you might say, well where’s the money going. Ninety-four per cent of the increase in the property tax has basically gone to the city payroll.”

After McCarter's report zeroed in on the city's bloated non-union payroll and warned city hall labour costs were unsustainable, salaries, wages and benefits are increasing by $21.6 million (three per cent of the total operating budget) in 2018.

The current council — unable to accomplish much legislatively while a toxic political culture has become personal and the weight of previous scandals continues to cripple city hall — has done little to turn Brampton’s fortunes around after decades of mismanagement.

Jeffrey has put forth a vision of transforming Brampton into a hub for innovation and jobs, which includes the construction of a downtown university campus.

But with the provincial government set to unveil post-secondary expansion plans, councillors have to decide how the city will generate the $50 million committed toward a new facility and how to raise the $100 million proposed for a new downtown centre for innovation and excellence.

Taxpayers are seeing the fruits of their investment in health care with the opening of Peel Memorial Hospital, which has done little to address the health-care crisis locally, further raising questions about the work of veteran councillors who have been in charge of setting the city’s priorities (and the budgets to pay for those priorities) for decades.

Council is putting away a tiny fraction of what it would cost to fund downtown floodplain mitigation, a missing but crucial piece of downtown infrastructure that is costing the city hundreds of millions in potential growth-related revenues, not to mention all the jobs that would accompany the growth.

No money is being allocated for major higher order transit expansion aside from $2.3 million to study alternate route options for the Hurontario light rail transit line north of Steeles Avenue.

And no more money is being earmarked for future health-care needs.

Meanwhile, council will consider spending millions of dollars on aging recreation centres, including Balmoral, Chris Gibson and Howden, until recently deemed too costly to fix. Council has also tentatively approved a brand-new community centre in east Brampton for $12.6 million. Councillors have suggested increasing a slate of user fees, from marriage licenses to arena rentals, to pay for services that Brampton residents demand.

A 2014 report shocked councillors after it revealed hundreds of millions of dollars in capital projects were planned for, but never started. Asked for a list of deferred or delayed capital projects, staff did not provide one.

The proposed budget increase, which will be voted on during a special council meeting that starts at 4 p.m., Wednesday Dec. 6, translates to $126 more (totalling $4,857) for the average home in Brampton assessed at $471,000.





