Rent reduced for riders, early budget items approved by Regina Council
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Regina's city council covered a lot of ground in a three-hour meeting on Wednesday. With all members in attendance, coun...
Another $3.7 million has been shaved off a massive $44-million funding gap the City of Saskatoon is facing for 2024 and 2025.
At the beginning of the fourth special budget meeting Thursday, Mayor Charlie Clark said he realized it was a challenging time and a lot of people, including city employees, were watching and following the meetings closely.
“Because we’re in this unprecedented situation and because we’re having multiple meetings spread over time, it can kind of extend out that uncertainty for many people, and I just want to recognize that,” he said.
According to the city, property taxes are now sitting at around 7.47 per cent in 2024 and 5.93 per cent in 2025. The funding gap for both years is now around $40 million, down from more than the $75 million total it was prior to the start of the special budget meetings in June.
The news of the funding gap prompted anger among many people in the city, including councillors who didn’t like the way the news was released.
The funding gap originally equated to an 18.56 per cent property tax increase in 2024, and 6.95 per cent the next year.
During the meeting Thursday, councillors decided on a number of cost-cutting and deferral measures in an attempt to eat into the funding gap.
Some of the measures included closing the East Compost Depot, and closing the Landfill and Material Recovery Centre one hour earlier than its current closing time.
Paying parking tickets late will cost $60, but even paying parking tickets early will cost $35 instead of $30.
The skunk inspection, trapping and relocation services for private and residential properties will be eliminated, and a portion of the savings — around $250,000 — from the temporary closure of the Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre will also be redirected.
Other decisions included a $5 fee increase for manual tax certificate and tax searches, a $10 increase for online searches, and a 0.5 per cent increase in the city’s current and arrears monthly tax penalty rate in 2024.
Earlier this summer, seven reports with administration recommendations and options were presented to councillors. After four meetings that have lasted about eight hours each, there are still a number of options to be considered by councillors.
A fifth special budget meeting is scheduled to take place on Sept. 20.
None of the decisions made at the Governance and Priorities Special Budget Committee meetings are set in stone. City council will make all of its final decisions during budget deliberations at the end of November and in early December.