CITIZEN INPUT FACTORS INTO PRELIMINARY 2016 BUSINESS PLAN & BUDGET

In a new budget planning process this year, the City launched a number of Shaping Our Financial Future public engagement opportunities. Citizens were able to provide input on their priorities and preferences for more than 70 civic services and programs they rely on every day. That information has helped to create the Preliminary 2016 Business Plan and Budget which outlines the City’s future investment plans.

“Most participants in both the 2016 Annual Civic Services Survey and the June Public Engagement activities said they prefer to balance the budget using a combination of user fees and property tax increases instead of service reductions or cuts,” said City Manager, Murray Totland. “Citizens told us they want more spending when it comes to things like maintaining major roadways, transit, street crime, and a growing population.”

In addition to valuable public input, City Administration also considered factors such as inflation, population growth, City Council priorities, service level changes, and performance measures. Considering all factors, the Preliminary 2016 Operating Budget proposes:

• Total operating expenditures of $457.1 million, which is an increase of $22.5 million, or 5.2%, over the 2015 approved Operating Budget. Of this, $443.8 million is tax-supported-operating expenditures which is an increase of $22.5 million or 5.3%, over the 2015 approved Operating Budget.

“Tax-supported operating expenditures represent about 97% of total operating expenditures in 2016,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer & General Manager of Asset and Financial Management. “To help pay for operations and ensure a balanced budget, the property tax increase of 3.95%, equates to an additional $5.40 per month on a property assessed at $325,000.”

The proposed property tax increase would generate an additional $7.47 million, which would go toward debt repayment on future traffic noise projects, Building Better Roads, and expenditures relating to all other programs and services, including eight additional police constables in 2016.  It should be noted other City operations are holding the line on a greater hike with a -0.51% budget decrease.

On the capital side, the City is investing $177.2 million in various capital projects (buildings, roads, bridges, sidewalks, water lines) which is a reduction of over $48 million (27%) from 2015.

“The Shaping Our Financial Future engagement plan does not end with today’s tabling of the 2016 Business Plan and Budget,” says Tarasoff. “Now the City is providing citizens another opportunity to have their say on the 2016 Budget through Citizen Budget - our new interactive and educational online tool.”

From October 19 to November 13, citizens can share their funding priorities and preferences with City Council at saskatoon.ca/citizenbudget. Importantly, the public feedback gathered through Citizen Budget will inform City Council and Administration on residents’ budget priorities.  It will help Councillors determine what services and programs people value most when they discuss the 2016 Corporate Business Plan and Budget November 30, December 1 and 3, 2015.

Visit saskatoon.ca/financialfuture to view 2016 Budget at a Glance, and a full array of other budget documents.