Decisions on what to do about an Edmonton Transit Service budget shortfall and how far in advance to post administration's reports to city council were among the topics discussed in Episode 274 of Speaking Municipally, Taproot's civic affairs podcast. Co-hosts Mack Male and Troy Pavlek also commented on a city councillor's call for new leadership as we edge closer to the 2025 municipal election.
Council deems proposed fare hikes unfair
A city administration proposal to further increase transit fares beyond previously approved increases received a "tepid" reception from council, Pavlek noted.
To make up for a gap of roughly $13 million between transit revenues and costs, administration proposed such measures as doubling the cost of transit passes for seniors and increasing fares for others by about 20%. Council said no, instead directing administration to write a letter to the province to ask it for support for the Ride Transit program, which subsidizes fares for those who struggle to afford them. "Council's looking for some sort of ongoing financial confirmation for the program," Male said.
Council also directed administration to find $10.2 million in the existing operating budget, a move reminiscent of the not-so-successful OP12 exercise in Male's estimation. "I find that fascinating, Troy, because we've been having this discussion about how OP12 is not possible, and all of the cuts that administration was tasked with finding have been found," he said. "So, I don't really understand why council all of a sudden thinks administration's going to go and find $10.2 million."
Pavlek agreed. "I do find it interesting that this ... question of a funding shortfall is just kicked down the road by council," he said, noting administration recently warned councillors of a potential 13% property tax increase, due to spiraling costs. "Council was like, 'No, no, no, we can't have that,' ... but here's another $10 million to add onto the pile."
Cash fares to ride Edmonton transit will increase in February from $3.50 to $3.75, Arc fares will rise from $2.75 to $3, and monthly passes will go up by $1 or so. City administration has until the fall to report back to council on its success, or otherwise, finding the money in the operating budget.
It will cost you more to ride the bus in February, but Edmonton city council decided this week not to increase fares by even more to deal with a budget shortfall. (Mack Male/Flickr)
Council keeps meeting bylaws unchanged
Another proposal that council struck down this past week was to reduce the amount of time that city administration offers the public to look at the reports attached to meeting agendas.
A proposed change to the council bylaw would have made city reports available on meeting agendas as of the Thursday before the actual meeting, rather than 10 days in advance, as is the current practice. Advocacy groups such as the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and BOMA Edmonton opposed the move.
"This week, the council said, 'Nah,'" Pavlek said, noting the proposed bylaw change failed in a narrow 6-7 vote.
"That means we're in the same situation we were before we started talking about this," Male added.
Cartmell suggests Edmonton needs new leadership
Coun. Tim Cartmell held a press conference on Aug. 22 in which he proposed to stop all new project spending, work with the city manager to overhaul departments, and create a new infrastructure standing committee.
"Speaking of weird," Pavlek said, transitioning from a discussion on Coun. Jennifer Rice's lone vote against exploring bus rapid transit, "Tim Cartmell did a press conference this week where he stood behind a sign that said, 'We need new leadership at city hall.' And when people asked him, 'Are you running for mayor?' he said, 'Oh no, I couldn't possibly say something like that.'"
Male interjected. "How can we not look at that as preparing for the election?" he said. While it's possible Cartmell is not running for mayor but is just preparing to run again for re-election as the councillor for Ward pihêsiwin, it certainly looks like more than that, the podcasters concluded.
"Everyone kinda knows what this is," Male said.
There's much more in the Aug. 30 episode, including further commentary about transit and a revelation about the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival that came as a pleasant surprise to noted Fringe fanatic Pavlek. Plus, managing editor Tim Querengesser dropped by for his regular dispatch on what Taproot's newsroom is up to and how readers can chime in.