Artificial budget ceiling might backfire

I had a choice last night. I could go home after a long day, pour myself a cheap U-brew Chardonnay, or…. go on down to City council’s annual public budget meeting.

Chardonnay…. budget meeting. Maybe it was wrong of me, but having been through quite a few of those budget meetings, I opted for the cheap Charonnay.

The meeting was pretty predicable anyway. A handful of taxpayers would show up, listen, ask a few questions, and go home. Granted, the turnout last night was way higher than most times in the past — two dozen. I have it on reasonably good authority that the winner of this year’s pool on turnout was community and corporate affairs director Len Hyrcan, whose prediction was way low but quite a bit closer than everyone else.

Anyway, sure enough, there were mayor and council issuing assurances that, not to worry, they’re going to pare things down to come in under the magical two-per-cent budget increase.

Two per cent has been the rule of thumb for years. It seems to keep taxpayers relatively happy. I think it’s a good number to shoot for, but there have been years when there’s just too much to be done, when the two-per-cent target becomes an enemy.

Things like roads and sewers can be put off, but they catch up with you, and pretty soon you need to put in a big honking investment all at once to catch up, which was the case just a few years ago.

When council goes the next step and starts cutting from the so-called “wish list,” such things as police, fire control, and bylaw services will be among considerations. When you start cutting back on those things, the wisdom of an artificial ceiling comes into question.

It’s one thing to cut your coat to fit the cloth, and another to cut off its arms.