Fredericton 2016 budget cuts policing, raises water rates

Fredericton City Council has approved the $111.7 millionbudget for 2016 with no increase in property tax rates, but water and sewer rates and the cost of permits and licenses are going up.

Coun. Bruce Grandy, chair of the finance committee,says with water conservationmeasures usage is downsothe quarterly service charge for water and sewer is being increased from$79.68 to $92.86 to support upgrades to infrastructure.

"When we go to tear up a street and we go to put storm sewers in, we're not replacing them with the same size pipe," he said in an interview on Information Morning Fredericton.

"We're looking at how we can increase that size, how can we have better run-off, better drainage so when you get those freak rain storms you can be more efficient in moving that water away from the surface."

In the new budget, revenue will also be increased by raising fees for some city permits and recreation courses.

"It's about keeping our infrastructure current and not leaving our children and grandchildren a massive deficit," Grandy said.

Cuts are also being made to the Fredericton Police Force which will lose two positions through attrition under the new budget.

"We've taken measures to ensure that we shrink our government, that we invest in efficiency and that we are more accountable in our workforce and in the money that we spend."

In his speech to FrederictonCity Council, Grandy said the Police Force was also adding online reporting, increasing public education and implementing a new wandering persons and autism registry.

Grandysays in the coming year, Fredericton will turn its attention to improvements to the downtown which is something surveys show citizens want.

"Citizens told us they value Officers Square,they value walking downtown... making it a pedestrian friendly place so the city centre plan concentrates on that whole aspect."