City council spent just over an hour on final deliberations to pass a 2.9 per cent budget hike in 2020 that translates into an average increase of about $120 for a Hamilton household assessed at $380,000.

Friday morning's talks came with special protocols reflecting the COVID-19 outbreak. Media and members of the public were asked not to attend city hall but to view the livestream broadcast.

"Given the circumstances, I have a very short presentation," finance chief Mike Zegarac told councillors gathered around the horseshoe — but at six feet of distance between one another.

Zegarac noted changes of roughly $1.1 million from the last time elected officials met on the budget earlier this month to bring the city's overall increase down to 2.9 per cent from 3 per cent.

All councillors supported the budget, except Terry Whitehead, who cited rising financial hardships seniors face as one reason. "Every time we raise taxes over the cost of inflation, it has a direct impact on them. No way around it."

Coun. Judi Partridge said she'd hoped for a 2.5 per cent increase, but noted city officials started budget talks staring at a 5.5 per cent hike.

She suggested the city offer relief to residents in the form of tax-bill relief given the financial hardships some face due to the coronavirus situation. "The next several months, we have no idea what we're going to be dealing with."

Coun. Brad Clark expressed similar concerns. "At the end of the day, what I'm seeing in my community is thousands of people laid off," he said. "It's just started to trickle in and there are more layoffs coming."

Zegarac said senior staff at the city's emergency operations centre — which has been set up to respond to the coronavirus situation — have discussed a 30-day waiver of penalties for those who struggle to pay the April 30 tax-bill instalment.

Councillors expressed support for that initial relief measure and Zegarac's request to report back on additional ways the city could help by May 30.

Friday's back-to-back budget, general issues committee and council meeting — which wrapped up by 2:15 p.m., came during a massive shutdown of city programs and buildings to prevent the spread of the virus.

It's likely the last time council will meet — at least face to face — in coming weeks, maybe months, as Hamilton's total COVID-19 caseload sits at 23 and social-isolation precautions remain in place.

To deal with that possibility, councillors gave city manager Janette Smith authority to spend more than $250,000 without their approval for quick, emergency measures — until they're able to hold electronic meetings.

Jason Thorne, head of planning and economic development, said now that the province has introduced legislation allowing councils to hold meetings remotely, it should take a few weeks to get the technology in place to actually hold one.

During the budget session, councillors reversed a decision in early March not to provide a living wage for non-union, part-time casual workers.

Clark — who initially voted against the pay increase and failed on a 7-7 vote — said Friday he'd changed his mind on the issue after speaking to city staff. "I came to the realization that I'd like to reconsider."

The Ontario Living Wage Network has defined a living wage for a Hamilton family of four with two adult earners and two children as $16.45 an hour. Ontario's minimum wage is $14.

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Friday's reversal still leaves non-union full-time summer students and unionized summer students out the living-wage mix. School crossing guards were given a living wage last year.

tmoro@thespec.com

905-526-3264 | @TeviahMoro