Cornwall Ontario – Part of the 11th Councilor Column will be guest appearances by current and former Municipal elected officials.Today’s guest 11th Councilor is former Cornwall Ontario Mark A MacDonald. Mr. MacDonald also ran against Bob Kilger in the last election and ran for MPP. When not playing music he’s involved in political activism from the NO TANKS movement to helping save the RCAF Wing and the old Cornwall General Hospital.
Mark has decided to talk BUDGET.
Year after year we are subjected to the same old “dog and pony show”, when it comes to the budget process for the City of Cornwall. It’s always the same song and dance and in the end there is ultimately a tax increase and then the Community Action Group will complain.
It’s time that this Council showed some real leadership. Council needs to stand up to Administration, especially the Police Administration, and say enough is enough.
Council needs to adopt a form of Revenue Based Budgeting (RBB). RBB is a financial management philosophy that supports achievement of Council priorities. Council needs to provide and environment where there is potential to move Cornwall forward.
There needs to be clear direction from Council to Administration that states, this is all the money we have and we have to make it work, without affecting the services we provide.
Council does not need to go through the budget line by line, they pay managers big bucks for that. All they need to do is tell Administration to live within their means.
Over the years Council has been way too friendly with Administration and, when it comes to budget time, that friendly relationship has led to poor decision making.
To adopt a system of RBB will require a fundemental shift in the way that Council conducts its affairs. It requires some real strategic planning and leadership, something which this entire Council has been lacking.
If there’s a topic you wished to be discussed on The 11th Councilor email jamie@cornwallfreenews.com
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There are too many “yes sirs” around the horseshoe and not enough “no sirs”. I hope that Mark MacDonald gets the ball rolling on the important issues and then runs for mayor. Go for it Mark.