The financial numbers are in at city hall for 2011. And they’re providing more evidence that city council has no business raising property taxes this year.

According to the city’s Financial Status Report, the city posted a surplus of $9.7 million for 2011.

That’s due in part to higher than expected revenues ($28.2 million) while spending in some departments came in below budget.

Transfers from government were $10 million higher than projected. Total taxation was $2.6 million above budget. And sales of goods and services came in $6.4 million over budget.

Total expenses were $18.8 million over budget, most of which came from Public Works ($12.7 million).  About $5 million of that was for snow clearing, presumably from the 2010-11 winter. Flood costs also added to the Public Works variance.

However, the police budget came in slightly under budget ($396,000) and city hall’s corporate division was $3.6 million below its spending projection. Even Mayor Sam Katz’s office was $79,000 below its $1.8 million budget. Atta, boy Sam.

        Mayor Sam Katz kept his office spending in check last year.

 

The upshot is the city took in nearly $10 million more than it spent in 2011. The money will be transferred to the general purpose reserve fund. The surplus debunks the myth perpetrated by the left that the city has no choice but to raise our property taxes in 2012. It’s a myth because we see that even departments like the Winnipeg Police Service can come in under budget. If Sam’s office can come in under budget, than everyone else should be able to control their spending, too.

So, the next time your city councilor tells you the city has “no choice” but to raise your taxes, ask them about the $9.7 million surplus. If anything, they should be cutting our taxes.