Toronto’s balanced budget protects city services
Posted April 15, 2010 11:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto City Council approved a 2010 operating budget of $9.2-billion that protects the city services that Toronto residents and businesses need, Thursday.
Mayor David Miller says the budget invests in the council’s priorities and protects city services both this year and next.
Employment and social services eats up $1.35 billion to support an anticipated increase in the number of people requiring assistance as the economy recovers.
More than $950 million is earmarked for Toronto’s police service of more than 5,500 officers.
About $378 million will go to provide child care spaces in more than 940 child care centres and 21 home child care agencies.
And about $360 million will pay to deliver Toronto’s more than 60,000 recreation programs.
Coun. Shelley Carroll says the 2010 budget is balanced with modest user fees and a reasonable tax increase.
The city balanced its 2010 budget through cost reductions, service efficiencies, service changes, TTC fare and user fee increases, new user fees, reducing debt, and generating a $355-million surplus from spending restraint, labour disruption savings, and other revenues
Among other things, the surplus will help lower the 2010 property tax increase to 2.9 per cent on residential property and less than one per cent on business.
