Cambridge over $1-million in red after firefighter arbitration settlement
Posted Sep 15, 2015 12:35:13 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The City of Cambridge is looking at a lot of red ink, thanks in part to an arbitration agreement with its firefighters.
City council will get an update tonight on finances and it warns of a potential $1-million deficit for 2015.
Councillor Frank Monteiro says council will look for savings in the operating budget:
“I don’t think we can find a million dollars, but tonight, we’re going to have a look at it and see where we can cut to make up for this difference.”
He says some big projects like the Galt Post Office and the new Sportsplex shouldn’t be affected because that type of funding comes from the capital budget.
What could be affected is the tax bill for residents.
The over $1-million deficit could mean a tax hike of 1.43 per cent or just over $17 for the average household.
Monteiro says the arbitration process doesn’t take into account a city’s ability to pay the settlement:
“If a big city like Brampton, Mississauga, [or] Toronto settles, it doesn’t mean everybody else in Ontario can afford the same numbers.”
