Funny that Morelli not showing up allowed this to pass. Good for Farr for showing some fiscal discipline.
City wants police to take another shot at $130 million budget
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...million-budget
City councillors are asking police to trim their budget.
In a highly unusual move, councillors voted Monday to refer the $130 million budget back to the police board in the hopes it could lower its request for a 5 per cent increase.
“It seems to be a culture that’s entrenched in the police services to come in at least double the city guidelines,” said Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, who introduced the motion.
“In my experience, we all sit here stunned by this, but we approve it – because we’re very reluctant to challenge the police services board. But I think the time has come to push back.”
Councillors have given the police two weeks to come back with a leaner budget.
“If they turn around and send it back, we’ll do what we have to do,” said Ferguson.
The police budget is a contentious and expensive issue for city council. Under the Ontario Police Services Act, council cannot see a line-by-line breakdown of the force’s budget. That means council must either approve the entire budget or reject it outright. (You can see the 2010 police budget, broken down by program on the police website)
This year, police requested a 4.97 per cent budget increase – well beyond council’s guideline to stick to the rate of inflation (roughly 2 per cent). Other than HECFI, the police were the only board or agency to ask for an increase that stretched beyond that.
Of the projected 4.97 per cent increase, 4.41 per cent is for increased salary and benefit costs. That includes more than $718,000 for six new police positions.
Ferguson’s motion to refer the budget back to the police board narrowly passed with an 8-7 vote at Monday’s budget meeting.
The vote was almost exactly divided among urban and suburban lines, with downtown Councillor Jason Farr and all of the suburban councillors voting to send the budget back.
Councillor Bernie Morelli – past chair of the police board and one of the biggest supporters of the force around the council table – was not present. A tie vote would have defeated the motion.
The debate about the police budget was heated, with some councillors arguing that the motion sends a message that council doesn’t trust Chief Glenn De Caire.
Councillor Merulla called the proposal a “sad, clownish initiative.
“(De Caire) has done his job – he said “I wouldn’t be asking for this if we didn’t need it.” Are people suggesting that he’s not being accurate? That he’s trying to deceive us?”
Terry Whitehead, who sits on the police board, said the motion was “insulting” and implied the board hadn’t done its job.
Other councillors said the issue shouldn’t be interpreted as anything other than a routine budget matter.
“All of those things really are scurrilous comments that have no place in this chamber. We should be talking about the budget,” said Councillor Brad Clark.
“In this case, the ones that are talking about the referral motion are talking about just that. The only people that are politicizing this issue are the ones who are opposing the referral.”
Police spokesperson Catherine Martin said it will be up to the police board to determine the next steps.
“Once the board is in receipt of council’s direction, they will review it and they wil respond,” she said.
Council will debate the police budget April 14 and 15.
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