ASSEMBLE YOUR SALAD WITH TABBOULEH FOOD {page 26} FINDING BLISS IN BEAUTIFUL BRITISH COLUMBIA TRAVEL {page 23}
SPOTLIGHT
TRANSFORMERS STAR STRUGGLES WITH PUBLIC IMAGE {page 20}
CALGARY
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 www.metronews.ca
TM
News worth sharing.
Willing to take a hike?
Ball. Star
City estimates $45 million in spending can be cut by finding efficiencies Final budget will be approved in November KATIE TURNER
@METRONEWS.CA
Calgarians will likely be taking a hit in the wallet over the next three years after council explored indicative hikes for property taxes and utility fees. In discussing the plan for the 2012–2014 budget cycle yesterday, council set some tentative rates. Utility bills for the average Calgarian will rise, after council accepted the recommendation to hike the water and waste-water fees up 9.8 per cent over each of the next three years. “This is something we had to do,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi, citing the $1.4 billion in debt the utility has assumed from building a new water-treatment facility and upgrading others. “We’ve already incurred the debt, we had to build the water treatment
plant … and I’m just simply not willing to put that debt on to our kids and grandkids.” While water fees will result in an $8-per-month increase on utility bills, homeowners will be paying $2 less for Blue Cart recycling, as officials recommended a decrease in that fee of nearly 19 per cent. Council discussed the tax-rate hike into the evening and had yet to reach a decision by press time. Ald. Gord Lowe suggested that rates rise 8.7 per cent in 2012 and 6 per cent in the following two years, while Nenshi suggested rates should rise by about 5 per cent. Nenshi said council needs to set a lower indicative tax rate that will force the administration to find cuts. “I think we have to be able to put ourselves in a position where we have to look for it.”
Citizen gain
Mayor Naheed Nenshi The city recently conducted an in-depth citizen engagement process that involved about 24,000 participants. The majority said they wanted the level of city services maintained. Police, fire and transit ranked among the highest priorities, according to the citizen survey.
Former major league baseball star Jose Canseco and the Yuma Scorpions take on the Calgary Vipers last night at Foothills Stadium. CANDICE WARD/FOR METRO
Canseco comes a-calling
The home-run hitter was in town as the player-/manager of the Scorpions. They lost 4-1 to the hometown Vipers in baseball action last night.
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