With a budget of $33.5 million, a five per cent increase of $1.6 million to the Saanich Police budget is too high, say local critics the Grumpy Taxpayers.
WhatB次元官网网址檚 more, Saanich PoliceB次元官网网址檚 proposed five per cent increase is a conservative calculation that is realistically an eight per cent increase when all costs are factored in, suggests Stan Bartlett, chair of the Grumpy Taxpayers.
The increase details costs for four additional officers and five civilians. However, it only factors the cost of the positions for six months of the year which misses what Bartlett says is another 1.3 per cent to the police budget for wages and benefits. Bartlett notes the proposal also excludes the provincial employer health tax, another 1.66 per cent that Saanich chooses to separate in its calculation.
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B次元官网网址淥ur general concern is that the budget increases exceed inflation and often the city budget, and itB次元官网网址檚 unsustainable,B次元官网网址� Bartlett said. B次元官网网址淎s a resident, I donB次元官网网址檛 recollect a five or eight per cent raise this year, do you? And yet this continues, itB次元官网网址檚 compound interest, and we have a problem on our hands.B次元官网网址�
Saanich Police is adding to its staff of 161 officers and 60 civilians with five civilian positions, two of which are replacing positions lost in 2018 budget reductions, the assistant Block Watch coordinator and an administrative position.
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Saanich Police spokesperson, Sgt. Jereme Leslie, said the employer health tax is separated and that itB次元官网网址檚 standard practice to cost six months of the wage.
As Bartlett pointed out, Saanich council struggles annually with its budget increase and to expect a Saanich Police budget increase of five per cent every year, let alone an eight per cent hike, is just silly, he said.
B次元官网网址淭hey need to go back to the drawing board,B次元官网网址� Bartlett said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not easy. All of these services are very important and this is a very difficult decision for council but somewhere thereB次元官网网址檚 a middle ground, a compromise. We need some moderation and respect for the taxpayer.B次元官网网址�
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