Taxpayers' federation adds to list of groups calling for Saskatoon spending cuts
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is adding its organization to growing calls for spending cuts at Saskatoon city hall to reduce the property tax burden and tackle a looming budget shortfall of more than $50 million
“Mayor Charlie Clark and the rest of city council need to go through every single line of this budget to save taxpayers from a massive tax hike,” Gage Haubrich, Prairie Director for the CTF, said in a news release.
The City of Saskatoon is currently facing a projected budget shortfall of $50.9 million in 2024 and another $21.7 million in 2025.
A budget meeting is scheduled for Tuesday when the mayor and councillors will try and find ways to reduce the gap and lower the property tax burden.
Last month, the city warned the property tax increase for next year would be just over 17 per cent if council did not make any budget cuts, deferrals, find savings or raise revenue to close the gap.
But city administration has stressed that number will likely change as city council looks for ways to reduce the shortfall.
Since then, the projected budget shortfall for next year has dropped mostly thanks to an additional $2.1 million in revenue sharing from the provincial government.
Calls for spending reductions have also come from the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and the North Saskatoon Business Association.
Both have recommended several strategies including reductions to city staff, putting some projects on hold, postponing operations expenses for green initiatives and discontinuing programs they feel other levels of government should provide.
“Saskatoon taxpayers can’t afford a double-digit tax hike” said Haubrich.
The next budget meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at City Hall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A halting Biden tries to confront Trump at debate but stirs Democratic anxiety about his candidacy
A raspy, sometimes halting U.S. President Joe Biden repeatedly sought to confront Donald Trump in their first debate ahead of the November election, as his Republican rival countered Biden’s criticism by leaning into falsehoods about the economy, illegal immigration and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.
Analysis of the CNN Presidential Debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump
U.S. President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump went head-to-head in the first of two planned presidential debates.
FACT FOCUS: Here's a look at some of the false claims made during Biden and Trump's first debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded barbs and a variety of false and misleading information as they faced off in their first debate of the 2024 election.
Fines related to neighbour's 443 noise complaints at centre of B.C. dispute
A B.C. condo owner who was fined tens of thousands of dollars over hundreds of noise complaints made by his downstairs neighbour was partially successful in having the penalties overturned.
EXCLUSIVE Canadian lawyers play key role in money laundering, says financial intelligence report
A report by Canada's financial watchdog obtained by the Investigative Journalism Foundation working in collaboration with CTV News looked at Canadian lawyers' potential role in money laundering schemes, including those by organized crime groups like biker gangs and drug cartels.
Legal action coming to recover COVID benefit overpayments
The Canada Revenue Agency says it is ramping up efforts to recover overpayments of pandemic-related benefits.
'Hanging on for her life': Sask. family desperate to bring home sick niece from Philippines
For half a decade, a Saskatoon family has been trying to bring their orphaned niece to Canada, they say now it’s a matter of life or death.
'No additional flights will be cancelled': WestJet avoids strike as feds order binding arbitration
The federal government ordered binding arbitration in the labour dispute between WestJet and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) on Thursday.
Ottawa police warn residents to avoid Facebook Marketplace when looking for a place to rent
Ottawa police are going as far as to tell people to stay away from Facebook Marketplace altogether when looking for a place to rent because of the prevalence of scams.