Mayor Bigger’s first budget disappointing

Congratulations to city council, who gave home owners a zero-per-cent tax increase in the 2015 budget.

That being said, this is Mayor Bigger’s budget, and it appears he has followed through with his campaign promise to freeze taxes, or has he?

During his campaign, Mr. Bigger stated he had a plan to find the money. Our newly elected mayor neglected to tell Sudburians he was on a path to use reserve funds, $6 million at that. Did Mayor Bigger freeze taxes? No.

Mayor Bigger deferred the increase to 2016 and has acknowledged that no promise of holding the line in 2016 was ever made.

Our mayor has also promised accountability and transparency. Mayor Bigger’s first platform plank was to demand that the forensic audit into the transit ticket scandal be made public. This has yet to happen and there has still been no accountability on this issue.

Brian Bigger took office approximately five months ago and had promised to direct the staff to find the savings which would freeze taxes in the 2015 budget.

Why has he given the city staff a 12-month extension on this project, especially when the mayor has suggested he knows where the savings are?
Mayor Bigger, be transparent with the taxpayers. Was it your intention to use reserve funds to get a zero increase all along?

I look forward to the 2016 budget with real savings and not the credit card approach.

Aaron Beaudry
Sudbury