Winnipeg council passes budget in 9-7 squeaker
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman during a media briefing at City Hall before the preliminary 2021 multi-year balanced operating and capital¤budget¤updates are tabled at a special Executive Policy Committee meeting Friday afternoon.
201127 - Friday, November 27, 2020.
Winnipeg city council has narrowly passed a 2021 operating budget that lacked deep pandemic cuts.
Winnipeg city council has narrowly passed a 2021 operating budget that lacked deep pandemic cuts.
On Wednesday, council cast a nine-to-seven vote in favour of the $1.18-billion operating budget, which depends heavily on federal support.
The city will benefit from $74.5 million of federal safe restart program funding, which will offset major pandemic losses in 2020 and provide $10.9 million in 2021.
Johnson s departure was announced early in Monday s Select Board meeting by Town Manager Jason Hoch, who, along with Johnson and the town, is a named defendant in a federal discrimination lawsuit brought by Sgt. Scott McGowan. That lawsuit, which came to light in August, raised allegations of sexual misconduct and racist behaviors in the WPD that touched off months of protest in the North Berkshire community. McGowan, who released his statement through resident and supporter Janice Loux, wrote that his decision to end the lawsuit came in response to Johnson s departure. After receiving the news, I have reflected on my current litigation with the Town, including the climate of distrust in our community, McGowan wrote. As such, I have reached a difficult decision to withdraw my federal lawsuit as I see this moment as an opportunity to join in our community s healing.
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The mayor’s Executive Policy Committee has voted to amend the 2021 budget to change the funding source for the new Waverley West Fire Hall.
The city’s original plan was to finance the facility using a portion of the $36 million impact fee fund. However, due to a recent court decision ordering the city to repay the money to developers, the city has pivoted to taking on $7 million in new debt to pay for the $12.12 million debt-financed facility.
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