By Pepper Parr

January 30, 2014

BURLINGTON, ON.

The public got their first chance to see real detail on the proposed 2014 budget. It wasn’t that they didn’t like what they saw – they said they didn’t see enough data and they wanted a chance to talk about the budget before numbers were put out.

A packed room of about 70 people went through a workbook and talked about what they liked and didn’t like. On balance they were prepared to live with the proposed budget – there were the usual few who didn’t want the city taking another dime out of their pockets.

The LaSalle Park Marina Association tried to tilt the scales and had one of their advocates at each of the discussion tables.

Vanessa Warren of the Rural Coalition went to the front of the room and asked the “special interests” refrain from that practice.

In her summation she pointed out that none of the remarks made at the only public meeting being held on the budget would be available before delegations were made. The sense seemed to be that they wanted more information and they wanted it sooner so they could have a real impact.