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City of Saskatoon Coun. Darren Hill is not the only one that is upset that the first choice for covering the $20-million cost of snow removal this year was to raise taxes. It is even more astounding that the city would then consider borrowing the funds at an additional estimated cost to taxpayers of $14 million.
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I would suggest that the City of Saskatoon take a hard look at using some of its $270-million “Total Reserve Balance” as of Dec. 31, 2021 (the most current figure available) to cover the cost for this year.
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That would require a seven per cent across-the-board decrease (20 divided by 271) in each component of that balance for this year.
It would also require that city hall determine if it still wants to raise taxes at the same time that it continues to approve expenditures WITHOUT having them go through the budget process.
It would also, hopefully, make city hall reconsider its past tax increase decisions such as raising property taxes BEYOND what was requested by the administration. At the same time, it increased the reserve balance by $62 million from 2020 to 2021 ($208 million to $270 million).
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