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Town pessimistic about pre-budget consultation with province
Wednesday, 26 November 2008 - 3:33pm
“That’s a pretty short timeframe to put together a presentation given all the issues we’ve seen lately that have a substantial impact on the town,” he remarked. “I wonder if they want people to actually come.”
The submission of a presentation, or confirmation of attendance, must be made by noon on Friday (Nov. 28).
“The point I am trying to make is I am getting a little frustrated with the provincial government and how some of these things sneak up on you,” said McCaig. “They’re not very shy in pushing a lot of things down and down and down and down.”
Since no town rep will be able to attend Monday’s pre-budget consultation in person, McCaig said he will put together a report regarding the latest MPAC reassessment, particularly in regards to the large industrial class and how it will impact the town’s tax revenues.
This will be submitted electronically to the province prior to Friday’s deadline.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft noted that in the part of the letter from the Ministry of Finance where it asks municipalities to consider five questions when preparing their comments, four of the five questions contain phrases such as “global economic uncertainty,” “fiscal challenges,” and “challenging economic times”—some of them several times.
“That tell you anything? I know we’ve got to make a submission, but don’t hold your breath about receiving anything during these ‘challenging economic times,’” he remarked.
“I have to concur with you there,” said Mayor Roy Avis.
“I don’t think [the consultation] will be receive anything. It will be there to tell us we’re not getting anything.
“We’ll have to put some type of package together and hopefully get some consideration.”
“I don’t know what we can say, in light of the questions that Mr. Wiedenhoeft solicited there,” agreed McCaig. “It seems like a moot point.
“It will be like the travel information centre, when we went down for the consultations and the mayor put forward the most professionally-prepared presentation of the day and they never asked one question about the centre,” he added.
“Maybe I am a little bit jaded, but I don’t appreciate the short notice.”
By Duane Hicks, Staff writer
While the Town of Fort Frances will provide input at the 2009 Ontario pre-budget consultation in Thunder Bay on Dec. 1, administration and council said Monday evening they’re not sure it will make any difference.
CAO Mark McCaig said he’d like to have gotten more notice of the consultation from the Ministry of Finance—the town only got it last Thursday.
The submission of a presentation, or confirmation of attendance, must be made by noon on Friday (Nov. 28).
“The point I am trying to make is I am getting a little frustrated with the provincial government and how some of these things sneak up on you,” said McCaig. “They’re not very shy in pushing a lot of things down and down and down and down.”
Since no town rep will be able to attend Monday’s pre-budget consultation in person, McCaig said he will put together a report regarding the latest MPAC reassessment, particularly in regards to the large industrial class and how it will impact the town’s tax revenues.
This will be submitted electronically to the province prior to Friday’s deadline.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft noted that in the part of the letter from the Ministry of Finance where it asks municipalities to consider five questions when preparing their comments, four of the five questions contain phrases such as “global economic uncertainty,” “fiscal challenges,” and “challenging economic times”—some of them several times.
“That tell you anything? I know we’ve got to make a submission, but don’t hold your breath about receiving anything during these ‘challenging economic times,’” he remarked.
“I have to concur with you there,” said Mayor Roy Avis.
“I don’t think [the consultation] will be receive anything. It will be there to tell us we’re not getting anything.
“We’ll have to put some type of package together and hopefully get some consideration.”
“I don’t know what we can say, in light of the questions that Mr. Wiedenhoeft solicited there,” agreed McCaig. “It seems like a moot point.
“It will be like the travel information centre, when we went down for the consultations and the mayor put forward the most professionally-prepared presentation of the day and they never asked one question about the centre,” he added.
“Maybe I am a little bit jaded, but I don’t appreciate the short notice.”