Tonight, city council will try again with the 2016 Operating Budget. The capital budget was approved unanimously last night, but things started to get sticky when after hours of negotiation and debate, the final tally came in at $217,336,736 or 3.42% above 2015. Most of council balked at that number and the budget failed to pass by a motion of 5 to 8. So now what? Council will begin tonight, revising yesterday’s close votes in order to sort out again what they need, and what the city can afford. What will the final impact be?
Starting at shortly after 6 pm (there will be a delay as I make my way from CFRU to City Hall), I will be live blogging and tweeting from the city council meeting. You can follow my Twitter feed @adamadonaldson, or you simply follow along her through Storify. It might be a late one, and it might take more than one night, so stay tuned for all the developments/ announcements/ fireworks etc.
Edit
Budget 2: Electric Boogaloo!
Second night of Guelph City Council Deliberations about 2016 Budget
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That’s your #GuelphBudget! Good luck folks. -
Guthrie turns it over to CAO @AnnPappert for some closing remarks. Thanks exec team 1st of all.
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Budget failed yesterday 5-8. https://twitter.com/robertroutledge/status/675136123828641793 …
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Apparently, @PhilAlltWard3 will second everything. You don’t even need to ask.
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My guess: a tight pass. https://twitter.com/JasonDodgeWard3/status/675131660522926082 …
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City staff says little to no flexibility in any city department budget, and extraordinary events difficult to address. -
Guthrie clarifies that he is not suggesting staff is inefficient, but simply wants to bring tax increase down.
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Guelph’s operating budget now whittled down to 3.02 per cent, from 3.42 to begin the evening.
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@adamadonaldson about the length of 4 Star Wars movies so far?
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@jrb883 @adamadonaldson Adult to 80 from 75 and tic from 2.40 to 2.80
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Piper says since we’re not improving service in ’16, so why raise prices now? Wait for ’17 when changes come. (@steven_petric was right)
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No, council accepted staff recommendations for those increases, they went diff way with cash and affordable passes https://twitter.com/jrb883/status/675118701000179713 …
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I am pretty sure fares will have to increase in 2017 #GuelphBudget to pay for new routes. @adamadonaldson @ward5guelph
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Basically Gordon asked for $100K in matching from city to library reserve. Voted yes last nite, took back 2nite https://twitter.com/DrJulieGill/status/675116469647224832 …
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Councillors Piper and Wettstein fear licensing regime would be demanded if zoning inspector position not brought in.
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Lol so are we gonna review all these 7 to 6 votes too later tonight? https://twitter.com/adamadonaldson/status/675109685180125185 …
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@collier4ward2 @CamGuthrie @ward6mark @adamadonaldson my position on the affordable bus pass (increased without my support) proves otherwise -
Transit fare increase vote proves @Ward1Guelph all talk about low income concerns. Same for @CamGuthrie @ward6mark. #guelph @adamadonaldson -
Affordable bus pass reduction defeated 9-4, putting $79,800 back into revenues. Budget increase now at 3.14 per cent
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Seems like we’re about to get back to business here. #GuelphBudget
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Correction: Arborist position, not inspector arborist removed from budget. Latter defeated Wednesday night.
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I wish some of our councillors spent as much time and energy bettering Guelph as they did orchestrating political attacks for this evening. -
@JasonDodgeWard3 let me guess. The usual suspects. They need to be taken down a notch or two. They don’t own the fucking city. -
That’s right. What’s lacking is a road map/order to which each motion will be called I think https://twitter.com/jrb883/status/675098274106359809 …
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Correct. But in what order? https://twitter.com/ChairStJohnAmb/status/675097763646939137 …
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Seems to be why Allt challenged him on front loading his motions. https://twitter.com/arborric/status/675097320975958016 …
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I think it has to do with lack of agenda. Most council meetings have motions listed on agenda b4 hand. https://twitter.com/jrb883/status/675096595009036289 …
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By far the most pre-planned disrespectful council meeting I have ever attended. I am not a proud Guelphite tonight.
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I think it has to do with lack of agenda. Most council meetings have motions listed on agenda b4 hand. https://twitter.com/jrb883/status/675096595009036289 …
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$107,000 inspector arborist position out of budget, 7-6 vote, despite Councillor Piper’s concern over emerald ash borer.
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I steadfastly believe that 2016 service rationalisation is an essential component for #Guelph‘s effective/efficient operation. #IWillMissYou -
So cynical. I love it! https://twitter.com/MikeGamble/status/675094172806828033 …
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Bell: there’s a root problem that the @cityofguelph is trying to do too much.
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Starting point for city budget as of tonight. pic.twitter.com/StW2rzRx3o -
We’re in the Delorian making amendments again, says Guthie. #basically
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I have arrived at City Hall for #GuelphBudget
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Yes, I will be back in council to live tweet tonight’s continuation. Will be late this b/c meeting starts at 6pm when @OS_Guelph ends.
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@robertroutledge @ward5guelph @adamadonaldson @cityofguelph I doubt it. Staff will be scrambling to have ready by 6. -
Re-live the proverbial blow-by-blow from last night’s #GuelphBudget meeting. http://www.guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2015/12/live-blog-city-council-decides-on-2016.html …
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Tonight’s Live Blog for #GuelphBudget Part 2 is set-up. http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2015/12/live-blog-city-hall-tries-again-with.html … pic.twitter.com/CQmCSZHJU0
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