[homeles_ot-l] People for a Better Ottawa FW: PBO December Update

Fri Dec 21 11:52:23 EST 2007

FYI

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From: David Robbins [mailto:david at organizingup.ca] 
Sent: December 21, 2007 11:43 AM
To: David Robbins
Subject: PBO December Update

People for a Better Ottawa 

December Update

Congratulations! 

We have the beginning of a real movement for a better Ottawa.  Over 700
people have signed on to our letter of concern to City Council.  Our voices
have made a real impact in the budget debate – services and programs have
been protected, for now.  

We are now looking forward to a bit of rest and then to re-engaging in the
New Year with an ambitious plan for more activism around budgets – we’ll be
watching what the city does next, plus we’ll weigh in budgets at the federal
and the provincial level.  We’ll be watching Council’s administrative
reviews of the programs, the impact of higher bus fares and the threat of
even bigger user fees for recreation programs.  

We have big plans to bring more groups together to form a broader and deeper
alliance to build a better city for all of us.  Mark your calendars for
“Momentum Gathering:  Building a movement for a better Ottawa” on February
29 and March 1, 2008.  This bridge-building session will bring together
groups and individuals from across the city and from diverse sectors to
build alliances, share experiences, deepen our analysis and create a
stronger people’s movement to shape City Hall, as well as provincial and
federal policies. 

We’ll keep you posted on all of these developments and hope you’ll join us
to build a better city.  

Budget Update

People for a Better Ottawa had four main concerns about the city budget.  We
wanted programs and services protected.  We called for no “hidden” cuts.  We
wanted a transparent and meaningful consultation process.  And we urged
Council to seek alternate public revenue from the provincial and federal
governments, because our city has a revenue problem, not a spending problem.

While the budget isn’t yet finalized, we have a clear picture of where the
City is heading, and we’ve had a chance to de-brief.  

How did we do?

1.	Protect programs and services

To the credit of City Councillors and the Mayor, the 2008 budget looks like
it will not make major cuts to most programs and programs.  This is good
news, and it means our efforts helped shape the debate and stave off major
program cuts.  We should all of us take heart from this.  

Councillors are realizing there just isn’t any more room to cut.  Even Mayor
Larry O’Brien had to give up his “zero means zero” scheme when faced with
widespread community opposition to cutting programs and services.  This was
the main message delivered at most of the community budget consultations,
and Councillors listened.  That said, we remain concerned that the overall
budget situation will never be sustainable if we don’t get more funding from
the provincial and federal governments.  

2.	No “hidden” cuts

City Council made a big noise about not closing libraries and community
centres, but there are many ways to cut back a service without closing it.
Clawing back on budgets, not replacing staff, increasing user fees – all of
these decrease access to services and undermine quality.  

User fees are particularly damaging because they exclude those who can least
afford fees.  And user fees are going up in the 2008 budget, with higher
charges for some recreation services and a whopping 30 per cent increase in
transit fares over the next three years (Ottawa already has the highest bus
fares in the country).  

Cuts to city staff positions are especially sneaky because they happen after
the fact and behind the scenes.  City workers know that most departments are
stretched and strained to bursting with fewer employees being asked to do
more work.  Efficiencies can be made in any organization, but the practice
of “gapping” city employees – not filling positions after people leave –
will only further strain delivery of city services.  People will wait longer
for permits, for snow plowing and for a spot at a city-run child care centre
(if they ever get one).  Routine service provision will take longer with
fewer staff on the job.  This is not the way to solve our budget challenges.

We need to keep a close watch on Council in the New Year as they continue
the budget process, including the annual Long-Range Financial Planning
process.  Councillors will be conducting administrative reviews in February
to shave millions from the budget – this will be the prime time for “hidden”
cuts.  We need to pressure Councillors to provide evidence that the
efficiencies they make will not harm city services and programs.   

3.	Transparent process

City Council failed to set a clear, consistent and meaningful process for
obtaining people’s input into the budget.  The elements are there, but they
need to be strengthened.  Public consultations need to happen further in
advance of decision-day and they need to be spread out and better
publicized.  Deputations to City Council should likewise take place weeks,
not minutes, before Councillors are deciding the budget.  

Regrettably, Council passed a motion the week before public deputations
claiming city programs were safe.  People scheduled to depute were even
contacted in an effort to get them to cancel their appearance “should this
motion affect whether you wish to make a presentation to Council”.  The
overwhelming majority of people scheduled to speak chose to make their
presentation.  Hopefully, Council will not attempt this kind of shenanigan
again.  

4.	Revenue problem, not a spending problem

For the most part, City Council is still trying to create fiscal
sustainability thinking inside the box of hidden cuts and strained services.
The good news is that a growing number of Councillors are beginning to
understand that we have a revenue problem, not a spending problem, and some
are starting to act on that. 

Many Councillors took the historic step of marching on Parliament Hill on
Monday, December 3, to demand more support from the federal government for
municipalities.  This was the first time ever that Ottawa’s Councillors took
this kind of step, and we hope it marks the beginning of a partnership with
the community to build a genuine and strong movement for change.  Our city
needs fiscal sustainability that works for all of us.  Let’s get the tools
we need.  

Moving forward

People for a Better Ottawa is gearing up to continue its work for an
inclusive 2008 city budget.  We will be monitoring the Long-Range Financial
Planning reviews as well as the administrative reviews in February.  We will
be watching for the release of the City’s recreation plan – which may call
for even higher user fees for recreation – and gauging the impact of higher
bus fares.  

We will also be looking for opportunities for Ottawa residents to influence
the upcoming federal and provincial budgets.  We need to make sure other
levels of government do the right thing:  the province must take
responsibility for all the programs it has downloaded and the federal
government must do more to help municipalities.  

Momentum Gathering

Come to our major event on February 29 and March 1, 2008

Mark your calendars for a major public event February 29 and March 1, 2008:
“Momentum Gathering:  Building a movement for a better Ottawa”. This
bridge-building session will bring together groups and individuals from
across the city and from diverse sectors to build alliances, share
experiences, deepen our analysis and create a stronger people’s movement to
shape City Hall, as well as provincial and federal policies.

We encourage concerned residents to join us in building a Better Ottawa!

HYPERLINK "http://www.betterottawa.ca"www.betterottawa.ca 

Lynne Browne 
Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness 
147 Besserer Street, Ottawa ON  K1N 6A7 
613-241-7913 x 205, lbrowne at ysb.on.ca 
www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca 

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