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It is already mid February and still no budget approval. What additional information does Council have today that they didn't have 2 months ago, or 4 months ago? This process should have been started in October, not in January.
Previous Councils have managed to approved budgets early in the year when their decisions could impact the spending for the year. What is keeping this Council from doing the same? Is this a symptom of the significant staff turnover?
It's hard to find savings when the budget is being spent before the decisions are made and new decisions are too late to impact existing commitments. Alternatively, new projects are not started or optimal pricing is not secured because we are late tendering projects. In tendering, the early projects get the most competitive bids. The later you wait, the less aggressive the tenders are.
Could you imagine doing your personal budgeting after the expenditures have been made? Those who do, usually end up in credit card debt. Hopefully Aurora is not travelling down the same path.
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23 comments:
We have self professed tax fighter Al Wilson and expert at everything
(at least in her own mind) Evalina McEachern on the job. Why worry?
The budget is even more mangled this year than the last two. The Treasurer recommended a schedule of numerous meetings in September or thereabouts.His report was taken apart and put together for a different schedule by Councillor MacEachern and approved by Council.
But that too was abandoned.
The Chief Administrator's Office was vacant.
It seems new programs referred to budget by Council,added to needs based on maintenance of current levels of service ,master plans,strategic plan and capital forecast all previously adopted by Council, much of it required by Provincial regulation and all of it, the floor regularly used upon which to build a budget, the potential tax increase was close to 15%
Rumour has it the Mayor went to the Treasurer's Office,threw the budget on his desk, described it in unflattering terms and ordered him to start again. I have heard the Treasurer submitted his resignation that day without much further ado.
Late night meetings lasting until the wee small hours between the Mayor and Councillor MacEachern have long been common knowledge. It seems something new may have been added.I had heard some Councillors were meeting after adjournment in the room behind the
Council Chamber. After a meeting this week I observed several Councillors hanging around, apparently waiting. There may be substance to the rumours.
Five Councillors meeting together,any place,anytime constitutes a meeting.
Having a different perspective to a Council Cabal on a regular basis disturbs me not one whit. It is a different and more serious matter not to be able to trust.
I worry about Ev pounding her keys at 2 AM.
Take er easy, gal. Take care of your health. You've got to take time for yourself, put all those fears aside, all this fear can't be good for you.
I recall my first term of Council -- the budget was traditionally late while we waited to hear what dollars would flow to the town from other levels of Government.
That was the first term where we started to move the budget process forward since the bulk of funding was from our own tax base and we understood that the later we approved the budget, the less impact we could have on spending.
Over the next number of years the budget was approved increasingly earlier, which gave Councils more ability to impact spending. (For those who are interested, the final budget approval dates are public record vs. Bill Hogg's opinion.)
It appears that this Council has slide back to approving budgets months after the start of the year. Lack of staff cannot be blamed. Setting priorities is always the role of Council. If they make other issues a higher priority, or dither about the decision-making process, the responsibility is theirs and theirs alone.
I'd be very interested to see the final budget approval dates (Operating and Capital) for the last 3 terms compared against this current term. Maybe some brave Councillor will ask for this very simple report. Shouldn't take the Treasurer more than 10 minutes to gather the dates and publish the memo.
If a schedule was approved and then not adhered to, that is also a matter of public record. A simple comparison of the approved plan vs. actual dates could also easily be prepared in under 10 minutes.
2 pages; then the facts will be known to all -- and opinions will be irrelevant.
If Evelyn's comments regarding the meetings held by the Fearsome Five behind closed doors are true, we're in trouble. But not for long. They will the one's in trouble as the truth spreads throughout this community as the 2010 election looms. There is a huge groundswell of miscontent and it's growing. The Fearsome Five don't see it because they are caught up in their own world...hell, they think they're doing a great job! Can you say dillusional?
A few facts from the Town's website in response to Mr. Hogg's:
2004 Increase 3.50%
Approved - April 27, 2004 Prev Cl
2005 Increase 7.90%
Approved - March 29, 2005 - Prev Cl
2006 Increase 7.90%
Approved - December 2005 - Prev Cl
Although budget was approved early; multiple errors included in the 2006 budget were found during preparation of the 2007 budget - in excess of $1.8 million. Had these expenditures been properly reported the 2006 tax increase would have been in excess of 15%.
2007 Increase 3.59%
Approved - April 24,2007 Present Cl
2008 Increase 4.00%
Approved - April 22,2008 Present Cl
There was a comment made at the GC meeting on 2/17 about the budget dates. I don't remember who said what, but one councillor mentioned the dates of budget approval in the past, and someone else commented no, they were right on track.
Looking at the comment about regarding multiple errors in the '06 budget that was finalized in December '05 - maybe it is in everyone's best interest to wait till late March or April for the final outcome.
I noticed with some interest the front page article inThe Banner that reported that York Region was set to vote on their 2009 budget today. The budget is $1.35 billion and includes a 2.5 per cent tax increase.
Clearly, if a budget this size, can be approved, I find it hard to believe that Aurora is unable to deal with ours in a more timely manner.
Using timetables as an excuse for errors doesn't cut it. If we took that position, then we should wait until the end of the year to do the budget based on actuals and then there would never be any variation.
Budgeting is about setting a plan based on best information and then working within the plan. I'd be interested to know if the errors referenced were because of lack of information or poor performance. There is a difference.
The Banner also reported that the budget included $12 million for hospital funding. I would be interested in understanding our Mayor's position on this issue and what influence Council direction, community input had in that position.
I notice that the poll on this blog (recognizing a very small sample size), suggests that Citizens in Aurora do not support this funding model.
I look forward to hearing how Council will deal with this important issue.
Who posted the blog?
Who removed it?
Why?
Didn't the blog moderator post it?
Was it posted or deleted at 9:32 PM?
What process led to the deletion?
The deleted Feb 20 post was not a comment but spam content copied from another blog and posted here.
How did spam pass the moderator's screening?
Highly unlikely to se spam, I"d say.
i guess it is safe to assume you are the one that cut and pasted someone elses words......Did you also do this in school when writing a essay....Trying to pass off someone elses work as your own...Shame Shame..Seems that is all you can expect from the mayor and her gang of five (cheaters and liars) Thats about all the votes you will get come next election - 6 votes....Oh yeah 7 there is Ken whitehurst...He has to vote for the five and Mayor, they gave him a nice cushy job with great pay.......later
Anonymous 6:57PM,
I don't understand how this "spam" business has anything to do with the mayor.
I don't understand the use of "cheaters and liars".
I saw the "spam".
It was the same entry that I copied from Mme Buck's blog because I was shocked at its content. I still have the original, with her blog's heading and picture.
The comment published on this blog was published without benefit of "Anonymous said.".. or anything of that sort. That's why it caught my attention.
I don't understand what happened but I think some people on this blog try to blame the mayor for things that are not reasonable.
I realize this comment has nothing to do with the original post, but I need to make a comment to Anonymous 6:57. Evelyn is once again being accused of wrong doing. Well she did post a comment about fellow councillor Wilson and if you care to read a little further then your nose you will find an expression of regret on her blog site. I believe it was titled Just When I thought. So if you think that by posting your comment you will bring Evelyn more harm, then sorry she is way ahead of you. No satisfaction here!!
Goodie two shoes,
I can see nothing in Anonymous 6:57 that brings Evelyn harm, but then that seems par for the course.
You and Jenny and Heather Sisman seem to blame others.
Oh my so much is being clarified that others have tried to point out to me for a long time.
Thanks for being so clear.
( If this is posted it will begin with large bolded type, "Anonymous said". I don't believe that the moderator will post it thinking that it is the work of Goodie two shoes.)
Who is Jenny??
Check your dictionary, dearie, for the definition of Jenny.
Looks like some humor got past you. Happy to help.
If anyone took the time to attend the Council meeting of Feb 24, it will be patently obvious as to why the budget takes so long.
The presentation of the Heritage awards took place, and even though there is a Heritage committee here (of which Councillors Collins-Mrakas and McRoberts are members), ALL the awards were given out by the Mayor.
Then she proceeded to read all three pages of her latest proclamation in reference to the Year of Business.
Now throw into the mix that the Mayor actually participates in the hiring of lower level staff positions in the Town (as opposed to senior management).
So, how could she possible have any time to do something as trivial as the Town Budget when there are these other, obviously far more important, tasks to take care of?
Sheesh, give the lady a break!
Why is the Mayor involved in the hiring of lower level staff? Isn't that the job of Human Resources or are these people not qualified to do this job? I question why an elected official feels she has the right to be involved in such a process.
No I'm not concerned. A 1.8% increase is better than expected. Even with the interference and disruption by Ms. Buck you did it!
Good on you!
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