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City of SJ News
01-27-2009, 09:10 AM
January 26, 2009

Saint John Common Council Passes 2009 Budget

Tax rate falls to 1.785 percent
Saint John Common Council passed its budget for 2009 this evening, following over six weeks of presentations and deliberations. Saint John's 2009 Operating Budget is $126,939,949. The 2008 budget was $119,166,653.

2009 budget expenditures will include:
- $22,292,248 - Municipal Operations
- $21,935,041 - Police
- $20,352,440 - Fire
- $7,291,479 - Administrative Support(including fleet, human resources, public safety communication centre and IT)
- $6,908,732 - Leisure Services
- $5,017 450 - Saint John Transit
- $4,160,384 - Pension Plan

Also included in the 2009 budget are initiatives such as:
- Performance Review for City Officers
- Advisory Services to Council, re: Pension
- Value for Money Program
- Improved External Communications
- Improved Signage/Education for emergencies
- A significant Increase in Road Maintenance ($650,000)
- A commitment to "A New Community Plan"
- Tiered response remains available to citizens
- Increased maintenance on public green spaces
- An increase in funding to Police (Public Safety)
- Significantly more investment in Public Transit
- Increased investment in Social/Community/Arts/Neighbourhoods, etc.
- Caps to future budgets ranging from four to 4.5% in the next three years.

Mayor Ivan Court believes the budget is responsive to the needs of the community and Council's own priorities. He admits Council faced multiple challenges, including balancing the City's tax base with its physical size ratio.

"We deliberated on each and every funding request", he said. "We have been able to hold the line on taxes and maintain our present level of service delivery."

The City is able to operate through a combination of taxes, a $19,499,823 unconditional grant from the Province of New Brunswick and non-tax revenue such as fines and permits.

Complete budget documents can be found on the City's website at
http://www.saintjohn.ca/city-hall_budget.cfm




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