2004-03-15_Minutes--Procès-verbal_(2)
March 15, 2004
Public Committee of the Whole meeting of Common Council, held at the City Hall in The
City of Saint John, on Monday, the 15th day of March A.D. 2004, at 3:30 o'clock p.m.
Present:
Mayor McAlary,
Deputy Mayor White and Councillors Ball, Desmond, Fitzgerald,
Teed, Titus and Trites
- and -
J. Nugent, City Solicitor; P. Woods, Common Clerk and Deputy
City Manager, and E. Gormley, Assistant Common Clerk
1. MeetinQ Called To Order
The Mayor called the meeting to order and welcomed MLA's, Stewart Jamieson, and
Roly Mcintyre. She updated the MLA's on the City's financial position especially as it
relates to the decrease in the Province's unconditional grant to the City. She added that
the uncertainty of the amount the City will receive each year makes it extremely difficult
for the City to plan, and that Council would like to have a new method of funding for
Saint John, such as Model 2 which is also supported by the Cities Association of New
Brunswick.
Referring to a submitted document, the Mayor presented an alternative to Model 2, a
summary of which was also submitted, which would allow the City to opt out of the
unconditional grant and use a tax transfer method of financing rather than a grant
whereby the Province would transfer a fixed percentage of the non-residential taxes
($2.25 and $1.50) collected in the City of Saint John equal to the amount of the 2004
unconditional grant. She explained that in effect, other than miscellaneous revenues, all
city revenues would be generated from the tax base, and presented the benefits and
challenges associated with this alternative. She informed the MLA's that this message
has been given to Government MLA's and to the Premier's office.
The meeting adjourned at 4:10 o'clock p.m.
Assistant Common Clerk