Budget shortfall less than $60M: Nenshi

Calgary mayor-elect Naheed Nenshi says the city's budget shortfall will be less than $60 million.

That deficit and the corresponding projected tax increase of 6.7 per cent were hot button issues during the election campaign.

Since winning the election on Monday with 40 per cent of the vote, Nenshi said he's had a chance to take a look at the city's books.

"I believe that the gap to be closed is smaller than the $60 million that was talked about during the campaign," Nenshi, a Harvard-educated business professor at Mount Royal University, told reporters on Friday.

"And I know that administration is also bringing forth a raft of options to council so that we'll have some opportunity during our strategic planning time in a couple of weeks to examine options other than 6.7 per cent."

Nenshi said he doesn't have any solid numbers of his own yet as to the deficit.

But he said those numbers will be released as soon as they become available.

He also reiterated the fact that the budget is the No. 1 priority for this council.

Nenshi and the aldermen-elect will be sworn in at a ceremony at city hall on Monday.