City council is maintaining a balanced budget, even during the COVID-19 pandemic filled 2020 calendar year.
Finances
Mayor Bill Mauro, in a year end conversation with Acadia Broadcasting, stresses the stable finances were achieved with help from the other levels of government.
“We can’t have operating deficits. Not only was it federal and provincial money that helped us get there, [goes without saying it was a big factor], but council as well made some significant decisions in terms of managing this,” says Mauro.
The Mayor does indicate council is looking at an operating deficit projection for 2021 of roughly $8 million.
“By not allowing administration to use the stabilization reserve fund and the surplus money from 2020 to achieve the 2% in the budget book, means they’ve had to make some tough decisions to achieve that goal. Council will then have the responsibility to deliberate what administration has brought forward,” remarks Mauro.
COVID-19 Vaccines
The Mayor is looking forward to the day when more residents of Thunder Bay will be vaccinated in the fight against COVID-19.
He is concerned about the province’s plan at the moment to prioritize more vaccines for Grey-Lockdown and Red-Control zones.
“We could be very close to being in exactly the same circumstances as [locales] in the Red-Control Zone. Does that mean that Thunder Bay, being in the Orange-Restrict zone, would not have any vaccines available to it? Beyond what’s being used for front line health care workers and long term care residents,” says Mauro.
The Mayor mentions he has drafted a letter for Retired General Rick Hillier and Premier Doug Ford about the issue, but is holding onto that communication for the time being.
Turf Facility
Related: Turf Facility Going To Tender
Meanwhile the indoor multi-purpose turf facility might have a resolution in 2021.
Bill Mauro believes council will hear from administration later this month as to how the tender process went.
“It has created some discussion within the community,” Mauro says, with a chuckle. “Again I’d like to try to articulate my message that we’ve prepared well for that and that the impact on taxation is negligible. The project will be financed through the reserve fund, not through municipal taxation funds but rather money from both the federal government and the municipal accommodation tax [also known as the hotel tax].”
