Sudburians invited to share input for 2021 municipal budget

The City of Greater Sudbury needs to tighten its budget for 2021 — and wants the public's input on how to go about that.

Last month, city council directed staff to prepare the draft 2021 budget, with the aim of limiting the property tax increase to 3.9 per cent, in line with the city's long term financial plan. In order to meet that goal, budget levels will have to be reduced by $14.6 million dollars, to account for added COVID-19 expenses, and revenue shortfalls. 

"It's not going to ever be easy to make any decisions to reduce a service or cut a service, but … we have to look at all the services that we are providing, and look at areas where we can close that gap," said Coun. Mike Jakubo, who is the chair of the city's finance and administration committee. 

Sudbury residents can fill out an online survey, to give their perspectives on what services the city should prioritize, and where it might be acceptable to reduce service levels or increase user fees. People can provide input until the end of December. 

Defining priorities 

The city's chief administrative officer, Ed Archer, says the projected shortfall for 2021 is based is due largely to added expenses, such as personal protective equipment, cleaning, and additional supports for vulnerable populations, as well as reduced revenues — all connected to the pandemic.

Each one of those services is important to some part of our community.— Ed Archer, Sudbury's CAO 

"It'd be no surprise I think to recognize that transit revenues are significantly down from their normal levels, as are recreation fees that would normally be applicable to users of our facilities," Archer said.

Service adjustments to some of the city's 58 areas of service are necessary, he said, because municipal budgets must be balanced each year. 

"The challenge that we typically have every year in these types of discussions is that each one of those services is important to some part of our community. And so while we probably, none of us individually use all of those 58 services, everyone in our community uses some of them," Archer said.  

"So I wouldn't say there's any easier areas to adjust than others. I mean it really reflects a perspective about what the priorities look like."

Challenges with forecasting 

Revenue forecasts have been more difficult than usual this year, Archer said, with the uncertainties of COVID-19 posing a "significant challenge." 

While transit ridership is currently at about 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, Archer says back in the spring, it was down by about 90 per cent. 

"Those are the kinds of influences that we would not normally have as much variability in," Archer said.