Will our new council deliver change?

We’ve all heard the election results. Now it’s time for our elected representatives to roll up their sleeves, get to work, and represent the majority. What are the new council’s priorities? Soon after being sworn in, the council will need to pass a budget for 2027.

Will the city be honest about the 2027 tax increase?

Focus Burlington’s number one issue has always been honesty. In 2026 the Burlington portion of our tax bill increased 5.8% and the total bill increased 4.49% but the mayor insists the increase was 2.98%.

In June, our public service presented their financial needs for 2027. They “need” to spend between 5% and 7.3% more in 2027. Without new homes or businesses to help, that means the M-Municipal box, the Burlington box, on our tax bill will increase by 5% to 7.3%. Will the city keep understating the increase as between 2.5% and 3.65%, or will they woman up and own the increase? More importantly, will our new councillors toe the party line or stand up for an honest statement of the budget and property tax increase, allowing for full discussion with residents? A 2.5 to 3.65% increase sounds reasonable; a 5 to 7.3% increase deserves a second look.

You can understand why the mayor loves to tell us the lower number. What I can’t understand is how a budget, largely funded by property taxes, can increase 5 to 7.3% when the so-called impact of that increase is 2.5 to 3.65%. If the city is going to continue to use its odd-ball formula for calculating the “increase”, will it at least treat us as marginally intelligent and include the formula it uses to calculate that number in the budget and City Talk magazine?

Will the city hide the budget details or openly engage with councillors and residents?

How will the city manage the budget this year? Another bait-and-switch or honest engagement? Will we hear more about how a budget can’t be shared with the public because of Strong Mayor Powers, or will Burlington follow Oakville’s lead and work with the public on a draft budget instead of concealing the budget details, from the public and our councillors, until the last minute?

2% increase for infrastructure

Will we hear more about 2% for infrastructure requiring a 2% property tax increase, before considering inflation? That’s a full 2% increase to the M-Municipal box on the tax bill, or will our new council push back on the city’s Asset Management Plan and demand realistic replacement costs? Will someone ask city staff why a kilometre of hiking trail in Burlington costs $240,000 to replace, when a similar trail in Oakville costs $120,000 per kilometre. Is the entire Asset Management Plan “Burlington Speak” or just parts of it?

Read more about the Asset Management Plan here: https://www.focusburlington.ca/2forinfrastructure

After the city released the 2026 budget details, a scant three weeks before council voted on the budget, Focus Burlington asked why there was no evidence that the 2% infrastructure increase went to infrastructure. The detailed budget showed the 2% infrastructure levy going towards salary increases, and the city using debt to finance infrastructure spending. The city was going to get back to us …………

The Budget Dog and Pony show.

Last year, the city printed thousands of expensive, fancy brochures, hired security guards, and presented those 32-page fancy brochures to residents in each Ward. This was something to do with the budget, but I’m not sure what. There were no details; the mayor or former councillor Sharman blamed the over-inflation tax increases on events from 30 years ago, something about the 90s, and moved on to the next ward. What a waste of time and energy for residents, for the staff members being paid overtime. What a waste of money for taxpayers. Only the security guards looked happy. Will this nonsense repeat, or will there be meaningful engagement? Will our newly minted councillors also blame the 90s for today’s tax increases?

What happens next depends on the new council members. We know where Bentivegna, Galbraith, and Meed Ward stand on these issues – the less the public knows and understands, the better. Where will the new councillors stand?