The trend for police budget increases in recent years should create significant concern with tuned-in taxpayers as it does with some city councillors.
Before new police management took over, police budget increases were 5.2%, 3.6% and 4.7% for 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, giving an average of 4.5%. After new police management took over, the police budget increases were 10.8% for 2023, 9.9% for 2024, and 10.36% proposed for 2025, giving an average of 10.4%. This average is 2.3 times what it was before.
Inflation rates (for a period of a year prior to when budgets are defined in October) for pertinent years were 6.9% at 2022, 3.8% at 2023, and 2.3% - the last rate being the latest data available at July 2024. The resulting average inflation rate is 4.3 %. Comparing the recent average police budget increase to the average inflation rate makes it 2.4 times inflation.
The message from the data seems clear. Since new police management took over, there is an ongoing aggressive expansion of the police budget. Yet, there is no explanation of what the final objectives are to be achieved that would presumably then halt these excessive increases - or would they continue indefinitely? Concerned taxpayers could construe that there seems to be insensitivity or inconsideration towards realizing that taxpayers’ annual income adjustments are – to a fair extent – limited to inflation.
There are some possible responses that the mayor and council should consider. One is, as suggested by the mayor already, that there will be a new budgeting process under the strong mayor arrangement – no details provided. We’ll wait to see what happens with this. There are still other considerations.
Funding for the proposed new police building could be included in the city’s ten-year capital plan where other projects could then be delayed, downsized, or eliminated to accommodate the new police building – thus alleviating pressure on the overall budget bottom line. Also, Council should be able to generically consider solving major problems persisted by individuals in a manner similar to what is available to employers in general workplaces.
Lastly, I would encourage tuned-in and concerned municipal taxpayers to contact the Ontario premier (at the website “Contact the Premier”) and ask that the government change legislation to have only the elected (accountable) municipal council approve or reject any line item for the police budget – like what can be done for other departments. This then may eliminate the need for police boards (majority of members being unaccountable) if their primary function is only to prepare budgets. In the end, weary taxpayers would see relief from persistent excessive police budget increases.
Manuel Marta