Recently the City announced it is preparing the 2019 Budget, with an invitation to community members to share their views.
There is an on-line budget tool which Oshawa residents aged 18 yrs+ can complete for the chance to win a free i-pad.
As part of this public engagement City Staff arranged what they referred to as a 'Telephone Town Hall' November 15th. It was interesting. Over 35,000* Oshawa landlines received a City robo call between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m to join in a Question and Answer session on the budget with Oshawa's Commissioner of Finance, Stephanie Sinnnott.
About a dozen* Oshawa residents asked questions, many related to Oshawa's high taxes, some asking for a property tax rate reduction. Many questions also related to parking and traffic issues, snow and garbage removal services. (Two callers requested the City reverse its weekly blue box and bi weekly garbage collection to biweekly blue box and have garbage picked up weekly.) One caller stressed the importance of addressing the homeless problem in Oshawa. A number of questions related to areas which Ms. Sinnott repeatedly said did not fall under the jurisdiction of the City, but were under the jurisdiction of the Region, such as policing and Regional roads such as Gibb street. (*At end of the session Ms. Sinnott indicated the stats and a summary of the Telephone Town Hall would be posted on www.connectoshawa.ca by the end of the month. )
The Online Budget Tool closes 4:30 p.m. Monday, November 26 for your chance to win an iPad at www.oshawabudget.ca
There is an on-line budget tool which Oshawa residents aged 18 yrs+ can complete for the chance to win a free i-pad.
As part of this public engagement City Staff arranged what they referred to as a 'Telephone Town Hall' November 15th. It was interesting. Over 35,000* Oshawa landlines received a City robo call between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m to join in a Question and Answer session on the budget with Oshawa's Commissioner of Finance, Stephanie Sinnnott.
About a dozen* Oshawa residents asked questions, many related to Oshawa's high taxes, some asking for a property tax rate reduction. Many questions also related to parking and traffic issues, snow and garbage removal services. (Two callers requested the City reverse its weekly blue box and bi weekly garbage collection to biweekly blue box and have garbage picked up weekly.) One caller stressed the importance of addressing the homeless problem in Oshawa. A number of questions related to areas which Ms. Sinnott repeatedly said did not fall under the jurisdiction of the City, but were under the jurisdiction of the Region, such as policing and Regional roads such as Gibb street. (*At end of the session Ms. Sinnott indicated the stats and a summary of the Telephone Town Hall would be posted on www.connectoshawa.ca by the end of the month. )
The Online Budget Tool closes 4:30 p.m. Monday, November 26 for your chance to win an iPad at www.oshawabudget.ca
