Belleville city hall April 10, 2017 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Belleville’s mayor says the city’s transit system is missing out in not serving commuters in the North East Industrial Park.
Mayor Taso Christopher told council, during the budget debate Tuesday, there are 15,000 people working in the industrial park and many of them want transit service after 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.
Mayor Christopher questioned why the service wasn’t available in light of the city spending $5 million on roads and infrastructure in the area.
Transit Chair Councillor Jack Miller
#1 MILLER TRANSIT
He says he’d like to see service extended in a number of areas.
#2 MILLER TRANSIT
Miller says his committee will look at the issue this year.
Debating the 2017 operation budget
Belleville is heading into its second day of the 2017 operating budget debate.
Treasurer Brian Cousins has outlined a draft budget of $107.5 million representing a tax-supported amount of $90.4 million, 3.7% over last year.
As Quinte News reported on Friday, if councillors approved everything presented, including external agencies’ budgets, it would represent a tax hike of 3.45% for Belleville Urban, 2.91% for Cannifton Urban Fire, 2.99 % for Cannifton Rural Fire and 2.23 % for Rural taxpayers.
Councillors will review the figures line by line over the next two days.
It’ll cost more to throw out garbage
Belleville residents can expect to pay more for garbage bag tags , beginning this summer.
Council has approved a 50-cent hike in the cost, bringing it to $3 a tag.
Councillors Paul Carr, Mitch Panciuk and Mayor Taso Christopher voted against the motion.
Councillor Carr said he wanted evidence that the increase would actually result in less garbage going to landfill.
Such a study is expected to take place in the next year.
