Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi says core city services such as transit, snow clearing and building maintenance have been chronically underfunded — and that this city council has been left holding the bag.
That's part of the reason why Sohi, elected mayor two years ago, describes the current budget as the toughest he's been through, dating back to his time as a city councillor.
"We have seen less investment in snow and ice removal, we have seen less investment in public transit, we have seen less investment in turf maintenance," Sohi told reporters at city hall of pandemic-era decisions to minimize tax increases. "Now, we are catching up. Now we have to make it up for the cuts of the past."
The starting point for council is the proposed seven-per-cent tax increase being suggested by city staff which would allow the city to run as it currently does. Staff says the tax increase would offset the high inflation and utility costs the city has seen over the last year as well as a pay raise for police.
Many council priorities sit unfunded in the budget, such as the $13.7 million required to bolster the city's response to homeless encampments.
"If this doesn’t get funded, then we continue on with the current response rate, which can take up to several weeks, and that’s unacceptable," Ward Karhiio Coun. Keren Tang said.
On Wednesday during the second day of city budget talks, councillors questioned staff about where they could find savings in the $3.5-million operating budget.
The group is focused on funding core services such as snow clearing, transit and public safety. Council also learned funding for some of those services has been lagging behind demand for years, which is adding to the pressure to spend more.
"My primary goal is to ensure we are protecting public services, that we're enhancing them, and that we're investing in public safety and well-being and public transit, while at the same time keeping our taxes affordable," Sohi said.
For example, the roughly $19-million budget for mowing sports fields and weeding city gardens and boulevards is not enough to meet the city's current service standards. It would take another $4 million to get it back on track.
Staff say areas such as public transit and infrastructure maintenance are also underfunded.
One deputy city manager said that without more money, potholes and crumbling infrastructure will become major issues for the public in coming years.
Edmonton city council will continue budget talks on Monday.
