Within the first 2022 draft budget for Penetanguishene was a 167.2% budget increase for transit, caused primarily by the purchase of a new accessible transit bus by the town earlier this year.
Caught in a struggle to reduce the overall maximum tax impact from an estimated 2.1% down to the target of 1.5%, council looked at all elements of the draft budget where costs could be cut and savings could be made over the next months.
The transit budget for 2021 was $60,032 with 2022 estimated at $160,393. That's a 2021/2022 variable of $100,361 or 167.2% from last year to this year.
Carrie Robillard, director of finance/treasurer, presented the first draft budget to council at a special committee of the whole meeting, along with an explanation of the $100,000 increase to the transit budget over last year.
“Similar to the policing levy,” said Robillard, “we were also stabilizing the impact of the transit program using our transit reserve, so we would annually transfer money from the transit reserve to offset increased operating and contract costs related to our transit program.”
It was through the transit reserve that Penetanguishene purchased the new bus this year, to the effect of depleting that reserve and removing stabilization mechanisms.
“That impacted the transit budget; as well, increased operating and contract costs for the shared service with the town of Midland. There’s an anticipated large increase,” Robillard added.
Coun. Debbie Levy, who sits on the Midland Penetanguishene Transit Committee (MPTC), praised the new buses servicing the two towns.
“For those who don’t know,” said Levy, “the new Penetanguishene bus is so much more accessible than the last one. I see, daily, people boarding in wheelchairs and easily on walkers; the step goes down and then comes back up again. And of course, the LINX bus actually kneels as the European buses do. So the entire county, including Penetanguishene, has become much more accessible.
“I am wondering if our needs are quite as great now with the new bus as when we had the little bus that barely took people on walkers, let alone wheelchairs,” Levy asked staff.
Bryan Murray, director of public works and fellow MPTC member, agreed with Levy and noted that a report brought to council months ago had been forwarded to the draft budget process for consideration regarding the implementation of a separate accessible transit service.
Midland also purchased another bus recently to upgrade its fleet, and provide reliable and accessible service to residents.
Council passed the motion to receive the first 2022 draft budget as information and discussion, and will be addressing the budget on October 27, which will include public consultation.
The first 2022 draft budget report is available within the special committee of the whole agenda on the town of Penetanguishene website.
Meetings of Penetanguishene council are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, and can be watched live on Rogers TV cable 53, or on the Rogers TV website.
