It is not always what a budget does but what it does not do that counts.

Having attended five of the six budget meetings, I thought it would be appropriate to comment on what I do not see.

For example:

1. No councillor asked what services would have to be dropped if the budget had been balanced. By the way, the answer is none. Why do we have zero-per-cent increases in election years only?

2. Where is the green policy? Town spent $22,343.28, in the month of January 2008, alone on gas.

3. Why have we allowed the costs of consultants to rise while at the same time increasing staff from 68, in 2000, to 104 in 2008? If staff is hired in '08, as planned, the cost to taxpayers will be over $25,000 per day.

4. There was no discussion on the lifting of the assessment freeze starting in 2009. What effect will that have on future taxes?

Water and sewer users saw a huge increase in their taxes (rates) in 2007. If they thought they
might get any consideration in their 2008 taxes, forget it. In fact, there is more to come. Although I see some concern for taxpayers by some councillors, I don’t see it has turned into relief as yet..