Halifax mayor trying for ‘lower-mid single-digits’ tax bill increase as budget debate continues

Halifax council is continuing to debate over ways to cut spending and reduce a proposed tax hike.

Another motion brought forward by Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore aimed at reducing the proposed double-digit tax hike on Tuesday was shot down by his council colleagues.

Fillmore called for a briefing note, aimed at chopping the city’s Strategic Infrastructure and Climate Funding by one-third for the 2026-27 year.

“The motion is not a referendum on HaliFACT‚” Fillmore told reporters. “It’s not calling into question our municipality’s commitment or my own commitment to climate action.

“Those are hardwired values in all of us at this point.”

But he says it’s about “finding a way to reconcile and balance” those values with affordability.

The briefing note sought exploration of a one-time reduction of $6 million or spreading that out over the final five years of HaliFACT, the city’s climate tax.

But that didn’t sit well with the majority of councillors.

“This is wrong on so many levels,” said Councillor Shawn Cleary, who pointed that climate spending electric buses reduces maintenance costs and retrofitting buildings saves on operating costs.

“These investments actually have an ROI, a real financial ROI,” Cleary said in council chambers.

“We should’ve been doing this 20 years ago. We don’t slow this down,” said Councillor Tony Mancini. “Respectfully, Mayor, I’m so concerned that this is even on the table.”

The motion was defeated 13-3, with Fillmore, Councillor David Hendsbee and Councillor Trish Purdy supporting it.

Friday’s ‘worst motion I’ve ever seen’: Morse

Tuesday’s budget committee vote comes on the heels of another big-ticket cost-savings motion from the mayor on Friday that was also defeated.

Fillmore had asked for a staff report detailing the possibility of slashing HRM employees; seeking information about reducing municipal wages and compensation over the next three years by up to seven per cent.

Only Fillmore and Hendsbee voted in favour of that motion, with the rest of council opposing it.

It irked some councillors, specifically Councillor Kathryn Morse, who called it “the worst motion and the most chaotic budget I’ve ever seen.”

“It is so thoughtless, so reckless, so disrespectful, so irresponsible and basically lazy,” Morse said Friday.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Morse said Fillmore’s motion “came so late in the budget process and was very non-specific.”

“We need to look everywhere for savings, no question,” she said. “But we need to do it in a targeted way, a specific way – and this definitely didn’t have a lot of thought behind it as far as I was concerned.”

Outside of council chambers, Fillmore said he’s fighting for affordability.

“I would rather that I didn’t have to fight so hard to protect affordability and on behalf of our residents, but fight I must, and I’ll just keep on doing that,” he said.

Asked if he feels he’s throwing things at the wall to see what sticks – without success of other council votes – Fillmore said more debate will come next week when councillors review the Budget Adjustment List (BAL).

“My confidence is wavering right now about whether the outcomes will be enough to lower the tax rate into the single digits substantially, the way that they need to be.”

Still, he said he would be “comfortable” with a tax bill increase in the “lower-mid single-digits.”

Morse went on to say Fillmore’s motions are adding challenges to the budget debate.

“It feels like some of the motions coming forward are a bit desperate, that they’re causing a lot of chaos,” she said.

Fillmore was asked whether he feels he’s fighting the rest of council on his own.

“I am puzzled that it’s not clear to the majority of our council that we have to make substantial cuts in this year’s budget.”

Budget committee meetings resume next week.

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