Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 7, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press wednesday july 7, 2004 City / District b5 Snow Clearing dumps deficit on City budget $17.5-million shortfall expected by Jason Bell a particularly wicked Winter has dumped a Burden on City Hall ? a projected $17.5-million budget deficit this year. The High Cost of Clearing Snow contributed to an Esti mated $9-million deficit in the Public works department alone. Poor weather reduced the number of speeders on Winnipeg streets but also resulted in an anticipated $4-million shortfall in photo radar Revenue. The financial picture is based on the first four months of 2004, according to Bob Gannon the City a chief financial officer. Coun. Bill Clement chairman of City councils fiscal issues committee said he in to concerned by the news. Clement said the City has about $9 million in a Snow Reserve account ? savings accumulated Over the last few years of below average snowfall. I Don to panic anymore when i see numbers like this Clement said. If we remove the Snow numbers we re consistent with other years. We re talking about a few percentage Points on a total Bud get of $700 million. Id like to think we have enough movement to solve these Gannon agreed that councillors can vote to use the Snow Reserve fund but he added that City administrators will have to tighten up on i Don to panic spending by the end of the year. Anymore if you take the Snow out of it we be had this perspective in the past said Gannon when i see the City a co since 1997. That leaves $8 numbers like million or $9 million. Senior managers will have to take initiatives to bring things this. If we Back on remove mayor Sam Katz said he a not worried the Snow about the pending budget shortfall adding hell work with Council to set it right. Numbers that s Why they say this in to an easy we re Job the new mayor said. We will resolve this consistent Katz said the budget is a moving tar with other get and measures will be taken to ensure years the books balance. Higher fuel costs and increased rental ? coun. Bill charges for equipment were also blamed Clement for part of the projected Public works deficit. Some councillors see the Revenue shortfall from photo radar fines As a plus. Coun. Peter de Smedt said More Winnipeg motorists Are get Ting the message to slow Down. We know we Are under performing in terms of photo radar but that a a positive he said. Well have to Deal with the Short fallout if citizens Are meeting their obligations i a coun. Lillian Thomas said the projected shortfall proves photo radar is anything but a Money our enforcement program seems to be working in that Dri ving performance is improving she said. The Revenue is Down but its doing its an additional $2.4-million deficit was forecast in police ser vice expenditures mainly due to overtime costs. The City is also expecting $1.5 million less than budgeted from provincial tax sharing while the Community services department is projecting a $1.4-million shortfall due to insect control costs increased facility maintenance and salary costs. councillors put brakes on Speedway idea by Jason Bell City Hall should to be the driving Force behind a Speedway to get cruisers off Winnipeg streets says the chairman of the City a Public works committee. Coun. Gord Steeves agreed yesterday with an administrative report recommending the City steer Clear of entering directly into the Speedway business. I a not comfortable with it. I Don to think its a Core service that a City can provide said Steeves. If we Are going to have a new motor Park Speedway in the City of Winnipeg it should be spearheaded by the private City Parks staff asked to research the idea ruled out build ing a City run motor sport Park mostly because similar facilities in Calgary and Saskatoon Are run by private companies instead of the municipal government. Staff estimated a drag strip could Cost More than $6 million to build. If the City of Winnipeg wants to get involved with some sup port some tax incentives then we re Happy to backfill some thing like that Steeves said. The City could also lease surplus land to private entrepreneurs willing to build and run a cruising Park he said. Yesterday the committee referred the administrations recommendations for review at future meetings of the Protection and Community services committee and the property and development committee. The matter is also up for discussion at the regular Council meeting slated for july 21. Coun. Harry Lazarenko believes the idea of a City run Speed Park has run out of Gas. The administration made it very Clear we should not get into a project like this he said. ;