To date, the streamlining process has permitted expenditures to be reduced by about 1.5 million dollars, together with an increase in local revenues. In spite of these efforts, achievement of a balanced budget is still $500,000 short. This is why the Borough has had to adopt a local tax as well.
“We had to levy this local tax because we are required by law to present a balanced budget. Meanwhile, the Borough continues to hold discussions with the Ville de Montréal in order to obtain an upward readjustment of its financing for 2012. If the city accedes to our request, we will reconsider the situation, which means that we may abolish this local tax,” explained Borough Mayor Me Claude Dauphin.
In order to reach a balanced budget, the Borough Council established a major rationalization plan that includes, among other things, labour force reduction, decreasing of various subsidies and of acquisition budgets for non-durables, closure of the public works materials disposal depot, setting household garbage pickups at once weekly year-round, modification of what certain recreational services provide, and abandonment of day camp programs. Revenue increases will be achieved by raising the rates charged for certain services supplied by the Borough.
It should be noted that in other boroughs, services previously provided by the municipality, such as day camps, have been taken over by non-profit organizations. With respect to having household garbage pickups set at once per week throughout the year, this practice is in keeping with provisions contained in the Plan de gestion des matières résiduelles de la Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal. Moreover, with the opening of the Lasalle ecocentre, free to all Montréal Agglomeration residents, the Borough decided to close its public works materials disposal depot.
“Together with the Borough’s management team we have examined all possible solutions and considered new ways of doing things, because our priority is still to offer high quality services to our fellow citizens. This is what we believe we have accomplished in preparing the fiscal 2012 budget,” concluded Me Dauphin.