Regional chair: potential nine per cent budget increase 'unacceptable'

​Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley offered the following statement in advance of the first meeting of the regional council’s budget committee:

“This afternoon, councillors will meet to start work on the 2024 regional budget. Through these deliberations, councillors will ensure that the Region delivers a budget that provides funding for the programs and services that residents and businesses rely on.

"The presentation being shared tonight currently projects a nine per cent increase for next year. I want to publicly state that I find an increase of this amount to be unacceptable, and it is my expectation that senior staff will work with regional council to find ways to manage the increase and bring in a budget that is more affordable to taxpayers.

"With homeowners receiving their 2023 tax bills over the last few weeks, we have heard the message loud and clear: last year’s property tax increase from the Region and the local municipalities was unaffordable for many and those elected to public office need to do more to keep taxes under control.

"As regional chair you have my commitment that all options will be on the table when debating next year’s budget. I anticipate there being difficult decisions ahead of us, but councillors also know they were elected to make these hard choices.

"In my view, any impacts need to be felt equitably across all of the region’s services, including the Niagara Region Police Service, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Niagara Region Transit Commission and Niagara Regional Housing.

"This is not a year for “nice to have” projects to be brought forward for council’s consideration. As regional chair, it is my expectation that the 2024 budget will be equally focused on funding core services while also considering areas where we can scale back without compromising critical public infrastructure or the health and safety of residents.

"As we carefully navigate the development of next year’s budget, I am confident that all councillors will keep taxpayer affordability as their central guiding principle throughout our deliberations.”