City of Greater Sudbury officials met with Ontario finance minister Dwight Duncan, and his staff Dec. 10 in Toronto to discuss funding for the city, according to a city release.
Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci, arranged and attended the meeting to discuss Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding (OMPF) for 2010.
The Greater Sudbury delegation requested that the Finance Minister continue mitigation funding for 2010 in order to protect the city from a $6-million reduction under the assessment equalization component of the OMPF.
The City of Greater Sudbury experienced the highest overall average residential property valuation increase amongst large Ontario municipalities as a result of the most recent MPAC reassessment - up 55 per cent over 2005, according to a city release.
The delegation also requested that the province develop a new formula for the 2011 OMPF that better addresses the fiscal challenges of cities like Greater Sudbury, which must deliver municipal services to low-density residential areas at a higher than average per capita cost.
Finally, Minister Duncan was asked to stage significant changes to the OMPF grant formula over several years to allow municipalities more time to absorb changes in funding levels.
“I remain hopeful of some positive news on this file,” Rodriguez said.
The Minister indicated he would “carefully review” the information presented by the City of Greater Sudbury, and that he would inform the city of his final decisions on the OMPF for 2010, according to a city release.
The city's proposed 2010 budget rests on receiving the funding. If the funding is not acquired, the city could be looking at an extra three per cent tax increase on top of an already proposed three per cent increase for 2010.
