Vaughan Looks to the Future in Approving its 2012 Operating and Capital Budgets

The budget report identifies several key priorities, including maintaining services to Vaughan residents, an emphasis on financial sustainability, investing in municipal infrastructure, and the implementation of multi-year budgeting.

“Vaughan Council takes the management of public funds very seriously,” said Councillor Alan Shefman, Chair of the Finance and Administration Committee. “We continue to demonstrate financial leadership and discipline by ensuring residents receive value for their tax dollars. We have been successful in introducing the concept of multi-year budgeting, and this forward-looking approach will provide citizens with more certainty about the direction of City services, finances, and tax levels.”

 

The residential tax increase for the City of Vaughan in 2012 will be 2.95 per cent or $34.81 a year for an average home assessed at $485,122. There is also a 0.91 per cent increase of approximately $11 for the average home for the separate Hospital Capital Levy which supports the community financial contribution required to bring a hospital to Vaughan.

 

The multi-year Capital Budget provides a two-year plan which will be expanded to a four-year plan in 2013. Council has approved the 2012 budget and received the future capital plans in order to proactively address future challenges. Likewise, the Operating Budget is projected over a three-year period.

 

"This year we have delivered one of the most detailed budgets in the history of Vaughan," said Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. "As promised, a Program Review was conducted and operational reviews of selected programs were identified to ensure we are delivering the best possible services. We made public consultation a central part of the budget process, holding six public meetings, including evening meetings, which generated a substantial amount of community input used in Council's decision-making process."

“Council has a plan, the Vaughan Vision 2020 strategic plan which Council has adopted to guide their deliberations,” said City Manager Clayton Harris. “The objective of the budget process is to find the appropriate balance between maintaining the quality of City services, financial sustainability and the lowest tax rate possible.”

 

• Additional funding for Station 7-10 Firefighters
• Fire Communication Operators
• Property Standards Enforcement
• Acquire the MacMillan Farm heritage property
• Thornhill Woods Library
• Zoning By-Law Review
• Develop a Municipal Sponsorship Strategy

 

• Capital improvements, including:
o $11.9M for the Civic Centre Resource Library 
o $9.5M for the Pavement Management Program  
o $2.1M for Civic Centre demolition   
o $2.0M to relocate Fire Station 7-3 (Land/Design) 
o $1.5M for Keele Street Watermain Replacement 
o $1.3M for artificial soccer turf at Concord Thornhill 
o $1.2M for curb and sidewalk repair and replacement 
o $1.0M for Jane sidewalk and street lighting (subway extension) 
o $0.9M for Block 40 Lawford Road/Wardlaw Place Park