Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/12/2016 (1377 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Earlier this week, city council voted and passed the 2017 City of Winnipeg operating and capital budget.

I believe the budget represents a fiscally prudent and responsible plan for the coming year. It limits budgeted expenditure increases to 2.31 per cent, the city’s lowest rate of budgeted growth in tax-supported spending in 10 years.

I am pleased we have been able to achieve this without cutting front-line services, while continuing with investments in key infrastructure important to Winnipeggers and a growing city.

There is no rate increase to the frontage levy in 2017. The water and sewer dividend rate will not increase. No new fees or charges are being introduced, and the impact fee recently approved by council is not used as a funding source.

More than $199 million will be invested in the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service in 2017. A total of $288 million will be invested in the Winnipeg Police Service next year, an increase of approximately $3.6 million, or 1.3 per cent, from last year’s budget. This increase is in line with the rate of inflation and consistent with the target stated in the Winnipeg Police Board strategic plan. Combined, these services represent 45 per cent of the entire city budget.

Without a doubt, fixing our roads and rebuilding our city continue to be the top priorities for many citizens.

Next year, further investments will be made in rebuilding many local and regional streets across our city, including sections of Pembina Highway, Empress Street, Ellice Avenue, Taylor Avenue and Salter Street.

Like last year, property tax increases in 2017 will be limited to 2.33 per cent, and all of this increase is dedicated to addressing Winnipeg’s infrastructure requirements.

This means the average homeowner will pay an additional $38 in municipal property taxes in 2017. But it enables us to maintain a record investment of $105 million in road renewal with less reliance on debt, less reliance on one-time savings accounts and less reliance on general operating revenue.

For a third year in a row, my commitment, and your council’s commitment, to road renewal remains strong.

Over the last week, there have been deliberate and premeditated attempts to misrepresent council’s commitment to fixing roads.

The reality, however, is clear and to the contrary.

In the last three years, more than $300 million has been invested in road renewal. That’s a level of investment in just three years that exceeds the combined investments over the six years from 2009 to 2014. Over the last two construction seasons, more than 380 kilometres of roads have been repaired in Winnipeg. More is needed, and more is coming in 2017.

The 2017 budget represents the third budget passed by the council elected two years ago, an election that represented the largest turnover of councillors in decades. I believe city hall is on a better track today than it was two years ago.

Let’s not forget where we started. We had a city hall dominated by dysfunction, where trust was severely fractured and road renewal was significantly underfunded after nearly a decade and a half of property-tax cuts and freezes. No council can be expected to change this culture and environment overnight.

We are making progress. Some changes have been small. Some have been larger, such as the appointment of a new chief administrative officer. But the changes I am trying to make are focused on building our city for the future, building pride in who we are as a city and making city hall more accessible, more transparent and better working for all citizens.

One of the first things I did after becoming mayor was cut my salary and cut the salary top-ups of executive policy committee members, as well as those of council’s speaker and deputy speaker, resulting in savings to taxpayers of about $400,000 over the council term.

I also remain committed to not accepting any political severance, even though many on council did not agree with my motion to end this cost to taxpayers.

While some might think these decisions are insignificant and now distant, they set the stage and expectation that I was prepared to bring the change that I wanted to see at city hall. They also reflect the kind of change I heard you wanted to see at city hall.

And this continues to be an important focus for me at this point in the mandate. I am here to serve you, and I am prepared to do it in a way that respects taxpayers rather than makes them beholden to private and special interests.

Winnipeg today is a growing, thriving city, and will continue to grow steadily and strongly over the next 25 years. I remain committed to moving our city forward by building on all we have today for a city we will need, and want, in the future.

Brian Bowman is the mayor of Winnipeg.