As presented by Councillor Vagnini:
WHEREAS cost of living over the last six (6) years from 2014 to 2020 has risen by 9%; and
WHEREAS the population of Greater Sudbury has seen a 2% decline over six (6) years; and
WHEREAS the demographics are rapidly shifting from high income earners to fixed income or income tied to cost of living; and
WHEREAS the 2016 Statistics Canada Census determined that 54% of Greater Sudbury earners are earning less than the Canadian poverty line; and
WHEREAS Property Taxes over six (6) years have increased by 26%; and
WHEREAS Greater Sudbury over six (6) years has increased by 23%; and
WHEREAS Greater Sudbury cost impact on City residents has increased by more than 27% over the last six (6) years; and
WHEREAS Property Taxes constitute 50% of Greater Sudbury spending; and
WHEREAS User Fees constitute 22% of Greater Sudbury spending; and
WHEREAS cost reductions promised by amalgamation have not materialized; and
WHEREAS fewer employees promised by amalgamation have actually increased by 4% and the associated cost has increased by 21%; and
WHEREAS household debt to income ratios have reached 176%; and
WHEREAS traditional budget preparation techniques have not provided opportunities to allow Greater Sudbury to keep spending more closely aligned with public ability to fund that spending; and
WHEREAS Greater Sudbury has been becoming increasingly reliant on debt financing; and
WHEREAS debt financing imposes another layer of cost on the Greater Sudbury population; and
WHEREAS there are other budget preparation techniques that readily allow preparation of Zero-Based Budget (ZBB) preparation; and
WHEREAS the application of ZBB has resulted in many corporations and an increasing number of municipalities to become more efficient and more cost effective;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that City staff is hereby directed to prepare a two page report for next Council Meeting on the resources and time requirements to replace the traditional budget preparation process with a ZBB process for the 2021 Budget Year.