City to consider participatory budgeting process

thepeterboroughexaminer.com
Feb. 3, 2015
By Joelle Kovach

A new report is expected from city staff to determine ways that citizens could work alongside councillors when it comes to hammering out Peterborough's annual budget.

On Monday night councillors asked staff to look into ways that citizens could become involved in money-spending decisions, such as appointing people from the community to the budget committee.

That committee is currently made up of only councillors. Every year at budget time, they pore over the staff's draft document and ask for changes.

But if citizens could be appointed to the budget committee, they'd be given decision-making power just like councillors.

Coun. Dean Pappas asked for the report from staff, saying he wants to know how to involve more people in deciding how their tax money is spent.

The idea was first pitched to city councillors last week, when Cheryl Lyon suggested that the concept - called participatory budgeting - could be explored locally.

She said it's being used in cities such as Guelph and Hamilton.

She also suggested the city put aside $10,000 in each ward and then call upon volunteers to identify projects that would benefit their neighbourhoods.

On Monday night, city councillors heard from two more citizens who wanted this idea explored more fully: both Ian Attridge and Bill Templeman think it's worth a try.

Attridge, a local lawyer, suggested adding four to six citizens to the budget committee.

He said the budget is council's largest policy decision, and that it should “reflect the input, the creativity, the knowledge and the experience” of the community.

Templeman, who ran for council in the last election, also said he liked the idea of giving people more say in how tax money is spent.

He said it wouldn't replace the current system - just enhance it.

Coun. Diane Therrien was strongly in favour.

“I think a lot of people feel like the process is rubber-stamping - you say your piece, and you're not really making a difference,” she said. “I want to see that change. I want to see people feel a part of the process.”

But Coun. Lesley Parnell said there are other ways to get public input besides giving citizens $10,000 to spend in each ward.

She said a meeting at the public library, early in the budget process, might give people a good opportunity to weigh in.

“Certainly, let people have their say,” she said. “But we don't need to spend $50,000 to do it. It could be one public meeting at the library.”

Also on councillors agenda Monday night:

• A plan to set aside Feb. 15 as a day to observe the 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag. Mayor Daryl Bennett didn't offer details about how the occasion will be marked in Peterborough, but he said he's going to proclaim it Flag Day.
• A presentation from Peter borough MPP Jeff Leal, who is also Ontario's minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. He told councillors the Hwy. 407 toll-road link to Hwy. 35/115 at Kirby ought to be built by 2020.
• Final approval to a plan to move the health unit from its current location on Hospital Dr. to the vacant Jackson Square federal office building on King St. The plan is for the health unit to buy the first three floors of the King St. building, just as you would buy a condominium. The Hospital Dr. building is expected to be sold.
• Final approval of a plan to increase building permit fees by 20% in the city over the next two years. The fees haven't increased since 2010, and yet the cost to run the building department has increased. The fees are expected to rise by 10% in 2015 and another 10% in 2016.