性视界传媒鈥檚 finance committee鈥檚 public hearing dealing with the 2021 city budget Monday afternoon devolved into a fierce verbal attack against Mayor Doug McCallum as speaker after speaker lined up, virtually speaking, to give him what-for.
So far the mayor has cut five callers off as the meeting is still going on, digitally.
鈥淵our comments must be respectful,鈥� McCallum said at the outset. 鈥淚鈥檒l say it again, you must be respectful.鈥�
性视界传媒鈥檚 general manager of financing Kam Grewal says the city鈥檚 policing transition from the 性视界传媒 RCMP to the 性视界传媒 Police Service is expected to be 鈥渇undamentally complete鈥� by the end of 2022.
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Ivan Scott, organizer of the Keep the RCMP in 性视界传媒 campaign, called the plan an 鈥榠mmoral and deceptive budget鈥� and accused McCallum of 鈥渉aughtiness.鈥� He characterized the budget as an 鈥渁ttack and assault鈥� on low income earners and charged that the current council is the 鈥渨orst municipal government in 性视界传媒鈥檚 history.
鈥淚t is personal, Mr. McCallum,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e shoving your hand into my pocket.
He denounced the budget as the 鈥渄eepest display of trickery.鈥�
McCallum thanked Scott for his comments.
Resident Debbie Johnstone called the budget a 鈥渒ick in the gut,鈥� as well as 鈥渋nsulting, heartless, cruel and mean-spirited.鈥�
She was cut off after telling McCallum 鈥渢here is a special place in hell for you.鈥�
Resident Richard Landale was also cut off.
鈥淛ust a minute!鈥� he protested. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 cut me off!鈥�
Lori Haliburton accused the mayor of using his power to 鈥渁buse us.
鈥淵ou are jeopardizing my health and my safety at my expense,鈥� she said.
Other speakers hurled words at McCallum like 鈥渉orrific鈥� and 鈥渟hame on you.鈥�
One speaker slammed what she called 鈥渟tupidly arrogants budget increases.
鈥淢cCallum shows no compassion with these tax increases,鈥� she said.
Anita Huberman, CEO of the 性视界传媒 Board of Trade, presented a 12-page treatise on the proposed budget.
鈥淲e need tax relief for businesses and residents,鈥� Huberman said. She called on city hall to focus on economic recovery, 鈥減ause the police transition鈥� and 鈥減ut a hold on the parcel tax increase.鈥�
Prior to the meeting, 性视界传媒 First Councillor Linda Annis issured a press release in which she denounced the proposed 2021 city budget as a 鈥減ublic safety and financial minefield.
鈥淭his budget includes a massive property tax increase, more than $130 million in borrowing, and a $45 million cut to the RCMP,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n addition, we鈥檙e actually borrowing $7 million to pay operating expenses, something every business and family in 性视界传媒 knows is no way to stay afloat or manage your home or business. We鈥檙e literally spending more than we鈥檙e taking in and that always costs taxpayers in the long run.鈥�
Annis said the draft budget, the 鈥渋ncredible tax increases鈥� and 性视界传媒鈥檚 鈥渟truggling finances鈥� can be 鈥渃onnected by a straight line鈥� to the policing transition, 鈥渨here every available dollar, even during the pandemic, is being syphoned off to pay the growing cost鈥� of the 性视界传媒 Police Service.
Annis said the budget 鈥渟hould go back to the drawing board鈥� because it is not ready for a council vote and needs a serious rethink.
Annis warned that the $45 million cut in the RCMP budget 鈥渕eans the RCMP will be out of money by October 1,鈥� while it鈥檚 not certain the 性视界传媒 Police Service 鈥渨ill be completely up and running by the end of September.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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