Budget deliberations day 3

Council spent the day debating a number of amendments to Administration's proposed budget and then voted on the budget as a whole. 

The budget was approved by Council more or less unchanged with 6 councillors, including myself, voting against and 9 members of Council in favour. 

This comes as a disappointment to me and I know it's a disappointment for many of you as well. It means that The City will be collecting about 7.8% more in taxes, but the exact amount you pay will still depend on the assessed value of your property. 

I know that's a lot of added pressure on Calgarians when costs are already rising. That's why I proposed or seconded over ten different amendments to reduce the pressure on already struggling households.

They included creative solutions to reduce the impact of the tax shift from businesses, to delay lower priority projects, and to cut spending without affecting the top priorites of Ward 1 residents, which are safety and affordability. 

All of them were defeated by Council. 

I will have more to say about this budget in the coming days, including what it means for you going forward. But for now, I want you to know that I worked hard to reduce the financial burden on Calgarians while still supporting the most important priorities. 

Thank you to everyone who wrote in to provide feedback, who came to speak at Council, or who came to my open house over the last few weeks. I will be continuing to advocate for your priorities, so please continue to contact me with any questions or concerns you have. 

—Sonya Sharp