Request for Budget Revision to Reflect Council's Instructions: A Letter to the Committee of the Whole
TinyTRA member and LASHA president Chuck Stradling has raised critical concerns about the 2025 Draft Budget, emphasizing the need for transparency, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with Council’s direction to reduce the municipal tax rate to 7%. Unfortunately, the draft budget falls short of this goal, as key adjustments were overlooked. The premature use of the 2024 surplus, without finalized financials, undermines transparency and responsible planning. To meet the target and ensure sound management of taxpayer dollars, Council must send the budget back for necessary revisions. Regrettably, a version of this this letter was denied publication by Midland Today. As a result, TinyTRA has chosen to publish it here to ensure Chuck’s important message reaches the community. We are behind Chuck’s call to action to ensure that the budget truly serves the residents of Tiny Township.
Chuck Strandling
1/15/20252 min read
Your Worship,
I had an opportunity to review the agenda for the upcoming committee of the whole meeting over the weekend but am unfortunately unable to make an unscheduled deputation due to health reasons.
I am just hoping that council will recognize that the recommendations from staff do not reflect the instructions given at the last December special budget council meeting.
Report CS-FIN-25 regarding 2025 Draft Budget requests that Council approve the draft budget as revised allowing Staff to proceed with the 2025 initiatives and plans as presented and that staff report back to Council following the year-end 2024 report with recommendations to incorporate any additional 2024 Surplus or Deficit into the draft budget as per the requirements of the Municipal Act, 2001 Section 289 4 (b)(c) before Council adopts the 2025 Final Tax Rate By-law.
Firstly, staff were tasked with reducing the budget to reflect a 7% municipal tax rate. There was no reduction made other than eliminating the Capital Contingency which I can't believe was even considered in the first place. Even T. Leitch indicated that he had this provision removed when he first became head of Public Works in 2016. Then, to move a truck replacement from the budget and have it purchased under water reserves? Further, add $30 K. for an old plow sale when delaying the purchase of one of three by one year would have almost achieved the 7% target. Application of any 2024 surplus should not even be considered until the books are closed in February, a 2024 financial actuals report is generated in March and the 2025 MPAC rolls are received.
Staff should be sent back to the drawing board to achieve the 7% target and then the budget approved at the January 29th meeting allowing staff to proceed with the 2025 initiatives and plans as presented. Once the 2024 surplus is presented the full amount should be applied against the tax rate which I am confident will bring it down to at least 5%. I would certainly like to be proven wrong and hope that it would be much lower.
Respectively,
Chuck Stradling
Lafontaine Homeowners Association, President
