Not a lot of good News in budget says Centre Wellington mayor

There’s not a lot of good News in the recently-announced provincial budget, according to Centre Wellington Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj.

“We just hope we get some attention to our connecting link,” Ross-Zuj said of the stretch of Highway 6 through Fergus, including the St. David Street bridge due for replacement in the next few years.

She noted on May 7 that she’d been asked about the Ontario budget.

“I have some real areas of concern with what was announced,” Ross-Zuj said.

She added the municipality could not anticipate huge amounts of positive News with the current climate and the deficit which Ontario is in.

“However there are some things we should be very concerned about.”

First, she pointed to further reductions of the OMPF (Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund). Ross-Zuj said the municipality is also losing on the gas tax, though she was pleased with the federal response to the gas tax, which is sustainable and predictable funding.

The problem is  Centre Wellington does not have public transit, “and it has been very well framed that the funding will only be directed to municipalities with public transit.”

“That is a real disservice to small urban municipalities and to rural Ontario. Our transit is in a different form, and we do not have the same capacity as the cities have.”

She said she believes there is still work to be done, “… and AMO  (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) is right on top of this.”

Ross-Zuj said sharing of the gas tax should be fair across the entire province.

Her other concern was the announcement regarding infrastructure money becoming available, but there were no indication of the rules or criteria with this round of funding.

“If the province continues to use the formula used in the past – of per capita – we will lose out on that as well.”

She explained that for Centre Wellington, its population is a bit above the threshold to be considered a small municipality by the province, even though Centre Wellington does meet the federal requirements as a small urban and rural municipality.

“Once again, the geography is not being taken into consideration. That is what is what makes us unique and should be taken into consideration.”

Her last concern was that the Connecting Link funding was not even mentioned, as it is a significant download to small urban and rural municipalities.

“Even municipalities of a bigger size will experience the ramifications of two little paragraphs which to Centre Wellington downloaded Highway 6 and the St. David Street bridge.

“The financial impact of that is enormous for us.”

She said no one is commenting on how municipalities will be able to adjust their budgets to accommodate what was just downloaded.

“I was a little disappointed with the Ontario budget, but I invite council to comment if you found something in it which you found good. Enlighten me please.”

One councillor suggested the budget may force an election.

The mayor agreed.

“It could. We are in very trying times right now,” Ross-Zuj said.

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