A Four Part Series
Note to readers: This is the fourth part of a special guelphspeaks exclusive series of the state of the city and the many unanswered questions that taxpayers should be asking. As usual, guelphspeaks urges all viewers to tell their friends and family to follow the blog that works to keep citizens aware of how their city works. No smoke and mirrors, just the unvarnished commentary and facts.
Part Four
The staff wags its finger
Posted September 22, 1012
Why does Ann Pappert, city CAO, complain about a council directive to keep the 2013 property tax increase to three per cent calling it a “regressive decision”?
Why does the staff warn that services will be reduced if they are required to maintain the council proposed 3 per cent tax increase?
Why does staff believe it is sustainable to insist on an 8.5 per cent property tax increase in 2013?
Why is it going to cost an additional $15 million next year just to maintain the level of services available today?
Why is it that maintaining staff including salaries, wages and benefits, cost 89 per cent of the city’s $174 million operating budget?
When the population of Guelph, during the past six years, has grown by some 3,500 according to Statistics Canada, why was it necessary to increase staff by 358 fulltime equivalent employees in that same time frame?
What is the cost of the long-term taxpayer-funded pension and benefits commitments to these employees in the next 10 years?
What is the problem with staff operations that an outside consultant describes as dysfunctional?
Why is staff morale low?
When Mayor Farbridge and her cohorts were elected in 2006, did the voters understand what she meant by putting Guelph back of track?
Why are downtown condo developers getting multi-year tax breaks and subsidies?
So many questions and so few answers.
This is your city and you are entitled to know how it is being managed. Unfortunately, many of the questions posed in the four part series will never be answered by this administration. The true answers can be embarrassing but citizens are entitled to the answers as it is in the public interest.
Stay turned to guelphspeaks as we endevour to seek and report the truth. Your comments and submissions are always welcome. After all this is the people’s blog. There are no commercial sponsors, no ties to any political party, no outside interests to influence or change the content.
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