On the first day of budget talks, Saskatoon’s city council approved the police force’s budget for the next two years, approving an increase of $12 million for next year.
The Saskatoon Police Services’ (SPS) budget will rise by 8.6 per cent next year and an additional 6.2 per cent in 2027.
During budget talks Tuesday, Chief Cam McBride said the budget increase can be owed to an arbitration award and to support 20 new full-time equivalent positions next year in response to a surge in service call volumes, cybersecurity risks and support providing positions.
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Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker was one of two councillors who opposed the police budget, telling Global News after it passed that she could not justify the cost increase when it would mean other areas of the budget, such as social services, could be axed, adding that she would like to see an audit conducted on the force.
“It’s not something I could accept knowing the next two, three days’ worth of conversations are going to be about finding places where in the greater city administration we can find more decreases,” said Parker.
Earlier in the budget talks, dozens of residents stood in front of council to share their concerns and propose improvements surrounding affordability, transportation, safety and environmental issues.
The proposed property tax increase for next year is currently at 7.43 per cent.
This is over one per cent lower than the rate initially proposed at the beginning of November, which was reduced when the city realized its assessment revenue — the property tax from new and renovated buildings — is higher than anticipated.
Budget talks are set to resume Wednesday, when councillors will consider more than 100 proposals to further reduce the proposed property tax hike.
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