Archive for February 2, 2010
Province Backs Down on PST Commitment to Cities
Feb 2nd
The City of Saskatoon is now $8.8 million lighter in their operating budget then originally planned for thanks to the Provincial government backing down on a promise to increase revenue sharing from 90% of 1 percentage point of the PST to a full 1% for 2010. While this move wasn’t unexpected, the Wall government began signaling the potential for this cut after bad budgeting put the Province about $1.5 billion in the red, it means that City Council in Saskatoon and Councils across Saskatchewan will have to start sharpening their pencils for their March Operating budgets.
Here in Saskatoon the Star Phoenix quotes both Councillors Hill and Heidt musing on what will have to be done in order for Saskatoon to keep their property tax increases to a minimum. As you may remember, Councillors Dubois, Heidt, Hill, Penner, Neault, and Wyant all promised to keep any tax increase to the rate of inflation (approximately 2.9%, according to Councillor Hill today). A tall order given the increased operating costs associated with new facilities (like the new Shaw Centre) and continued urban sprawl to all points of the compass putting strain on the yearly operating budget.
The general rule of thumb is a 0.9% tax increase for More >
Saskatoon to see 4 year council terms starting 2012
Feb 2nd
Posted by Sean Shaw in City Council
1 comment
Thanks to David Hutton for pointing this Provincial Government release here.
After consultation and discussions over the past year, the Provincial Government announced today that all Saskatoon cities would be moving to 4 year City Councillor and School Board Trustee terms beginning with the 2012 municipal elections.
UPDATED: I torpedo’d my original post due to some faulty salary numbers I had been dealing with. Currently, a City Councillor receives approximately $48,325 per year in compensation, much more than I was lead to believe.