Sarnia city councillors completed 2023 budget deliberations Tuesday, without setting the operating budget.
The full document, which would currently raise taxes 4.24 per cent, was approved in principle and staff were directed to report back with further efficiencies Monday, January 16.
The general levy increase as it stands would add about $38 per $100,000 of residential assessment on the municipal portion of the property tax bill.
Mayor Mike Bradley would like to see the increase further reduced to three per cent.
"Since the election, I've made it very clear that I do not [support] that type of increase in inflationary times, with interest rate hikes that are very difficult for people, and all of the other issues that are happening out there with a possible recession," said Bradley. "This council unanimously said, look, we've got it down here, we've made some changes, we agree or disagree with some of the directions, but the reality is we want to take another look at what else we can do."
Council approved the 11.5 per cent Sarnia Police Services budget increase as requested, which includes the expansion of the Mental Health Engagement and Response Team.
Bradley, who serves as the police services board chair and continually voted against the increase, said it "will not have a great impact on policing in the community."
"I'm really concerned, over, and over again, we're being told next year it could be higher. You can not sustain 10-12 per cent increases on the police budget on a regular basis, because even today, we're taking money from reserves to try to offset that, which hurts the rest of the city family."
Bradley said there needs to be a higher level of cooperation between the police service and city hall moving forward.
"I'm really pleased we're saying, 'no more in-camera meetings on the police budget,' to the police board. They held a four hour one last year, which in my view, was legal but it was not acceptable for the public. Especially when there had been this public process of all these town hall meetings. So, we've sent a clear message. We want full disclosure on the police budget. We want to see the overtime, we want to see all of the details, which impact our decisions."
Councillor Dave Boushy, also a member of the police services board, made a motion to cap the increase at eight per cent, but it was defeated.
Councillor Brian White supported the 11.5 per cent increase.
"The reality is, people in this community are living in fear," said White. "They're witnessing things that they shouldn't have to witness and on the other side of that coin, there are people engaged in activities that -- given the proper resources -- I have no doubt, would choose differently."
White said Chief Derek Davis made it clear to him that business is different, that they're reorganizing things in the building and trying to do things as efficiently as possible.
"If we want a modern police force that actually starts to address the issues that we're all seeing, then we have no choice but to support the budget as presented," White added.
"We've got a significant shift in priorities with policing that treats human beings, like human beings," he said. "That attends to mental health, that also follows what is understood to be a fairly deep dive into the organizational structure of the business that is occurring within that building."
Meantime, the city's capital budget was set at about $43 million.
Nearly $3 million was approved in the capital police budget; $2 million for equipment, $600,000 for building improvements and $360,000 for 911 communications.
City councillors voted to reallocate funding for rubber flooring at Progressive Auto Sales Arena to Pat Stapleton Arena for dressing room repairs.
$4.2 million dollars will be spent on road rehabilitation, and $7.8 million has been earmarked for combined sewer separation.
$90,000 dollars will be taken from the capital reserve fund for demolition of the remaining set of bleachers at Norm Perry Park, and the installation of a new set of bleachers ahead of the 2023 outdoor sports season.
An $80,000 grant for Blue Coast Primary Care - Recruitment & Retention was approved. Council took the added step of approving the grant for the next four years. Surrounding communities will be invited to support the initiative as well.
Sarnia council denied a request for a grant in lieu of paying development charges at 275 Wellington Street for $266,800 and 145 Mitton Street for $52,542.