THUNDER BAY – The hard work of putting together the 2018 City Budget gets underway tonight. Councillor at Large and Budget Chair Frank Pullia says that under the new process the work started with public consultations in September 2017, and has continued on through the process.
Reaching a budget that will meet the needs of citizens and respect the efforts to keep the municipal tax rate low is often for Council a matter of being between a rock and a hard place.
Thunder Bay City Council face several challenges in finding the right balance when looking at the City Budget. The goals of ensuring a level of service, keeping the tax increase to a manageable level, and ensuring that the city can move forward in a positive direction are all areas that Councillors have to work together toward finding that critical balance.
Councillor Pullia says that the new process allows planning over a three-year time frame, and gives Councillors the ability to make longer, and better plans.
The entire process is expected to wrap up by the end of January. There is still time for taxpayers to reach out to Councillors and express their concerns.
You can watch the budget online at www.thunderbay.ca or tune in on Shaw Cable Ten.
