Cambridge council passes 2015 budget unchanged

therecord.com
Feb. 2, 2015
By Chris Herhalt

Residents of Cambridge will see their property taxes go up 2.72 per cent in 2015 after city council formally passed its capital, operating and water budgets at a meeting Monday night.

Council approved its 2015 operating budget and water rates without any further discussion, meaning residents will see water and wastewater rates climb by 4.64 per cent and the typical home in the city will see a property tax hike of $32.67.

But councillors took a hard second look at a $1.075-million pedestrian bridge planned to span the Grand River in downtown Galt, after Ward 4 Coun. Jan Liggett argued the money, which comes from the 2015 capital budget but is not tax-funded, could be better used elsewhere.

"There is no need or justification for the pedestrian bridge," Liggett told council. "It's something that can't even be used all-year-round." She suggested council vote to grant the money to the forestry department, for use replacing trees felled by the emerald ash borer infestation.

The city has already earmarked $500,000 for use to fight emerald ash borer infections in 2015.

Coun. Pam Wolf, Liggett's across-the-river counterpart, argued the bridge "will be an asset to the downtown" and will be built to withstand the winter months.

Other councillors expressed a desire to keep the bridge in the budget, arguing it will help drive private investment in the Galt core.

"In talking to various people working in economic development, we're already starting to see more and more investment in our downtown based on some of the things we're doing," Coun. Frank Monteiro said.

Hespeler Coun. Mike Devine was more tepid in his endorsement.

"The bridge in the Galt core should drive private investment, but let's not lose sight of the fact that there are two rivers in this community and three cores."

Liggett said reallocating the money to fund tree planting was just one other program more deserving of funding than the pedestrian bridge, which is a core item in Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig's "back to the river" envelope of beautification projects.

"There are just so many other things that the money could be spent on."

Her motion to reallocate the bridge money failed 2-7, with Coun. Nicholas Ermeta voting with Liggett only by accident.

"I hit the wrong button," he said.

Council approved the capital budget, amounting to $64 million for 2015, in an 8-1 separate vote.