abpoli:

allthecanadianpolitics:

Emergency services, transit service and affordable housing were among the services slashed as city council unveiled details of how its $60 million in budget cuts will affect Calgarians.

Council voted 13-1 in favour of the package of cuts shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Earlier this year, council approved a 10 per cent tax rollback for business property owners. Since then, the city has been searching for ways to pay for it.

Nearly every city department and service — a total of 48 departments from arts to waste and recycling — will feel the crunch.

[…]

Coun. Druh Farrell, the lone vote against the cuts, said the timing of discussing laying off dozens of people and cuts to vital services felt heartless, likely alluding to the city’s announcement it was prepared to go in on a $550-million arena with the Calgary Flames the day before.

“I won’t be supporting these cuts considering the discussion we had yesterday … it feels cruel,” said Farrell. “115 good people are going to lose their jobs.”

There will be impacts to accessible transit, slower response times to street light outages and cuts to New Year’s Eve celebrations. Budget belt-tightening will also affect planned activities to engage with multicultural groups, the city’s Indigenous relations office and the Council Strategic Initiative Fund.

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