Here's the 2008 budget summary.
http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyre...tingBudget.pdf
Finance and budgeting is very very very very very very complicated.
Page 11 breaks expenses down into broad categories. Top 4 Categories are:
1. Employee Related Expenses (50% of total budget)
2. Agencies and Support Payments
3. Contractual (Not sure what that is)
4. Capital Financing
Usualy when budget cuts need to be made, Capital Financing gets the biggest axe. Then new hirings are put off and possible layoffs if need be.
FairHamilton, note on page 11 that Consulting Fees are down almost 20% from 2007. So they have cut back significantly on useless studies. I think they could still do better in this department as well. It's an even bigger waste of money when council does not even follow the suggestions given by studies that were ordered by council.
I think the City should consider selling Maccassa and Wentworth Lodges. They could be set up like St. Peters Hospital, it is a successful buisness model as far as I can see. There's $10 Million right there.