City Finance Committee wants to hear from you. Really. It does

During Monday evening's public budget input session hosted at the John Rhodes Community Centre by the City's Finance Committee, members were open to any and all suggestions on how City Council can adjust the upcoming municipal budget.

Unfortunately, only seven citizens came out to take part in the second of three public sessions.

"The concensus is that educating the public is very important. Telling them what we're doing, the cost of doing business and try to impart that to them," explained Ward 4 City Councillor Steve Butland. "So when you walk in to something like this expecting 25 or 30 people to be there, and there's only five or six, it's quite disappointing."

Butland told SooToday.com that although the turn out was low, it was surprisingly positive, stating that they were extremely happy living in Sault Ste. Marie and with the services provided.

Issues and concerns were raised, however, regarding assessments, contracting out, basic city services, road conditions and repair, and building vacancies, some of which are not the City's jurisdiction.

Both Butland and Finance Committee Chair Marchy Bruni said that visitors to this session, as well as the one one previous, overwhelmingly expressed that they did not want any city tax increase.

"Whenever I'm told that people want lower taxes, I always ask: 'What services are you willing to lose?'" said Butland. "When you're given a service and then it's taken away, it's always more difficult."

"Obviously, everyone wants a zero tax increase, and we at City Council are going to work very, very hard at that," Bruni told us. "Is it a possibility? That we don't know."

The next public budget input session will be held at the Public Works and Transportation Department - City Works Centre, 128 Sackville Road (north of Green Circle Environmental), on Wednesday, January 25 from 7 to 9 p.m.

The public is encouraged to attend.

All comments and suggestions will be taken into consideration when the municipal budget is finalized this coming March.

Residents may also submit budgetary input by emailing [email protected]