Another budget battle is brewing between the Police Services Board and London's city council.
This time, London taxpayers are being asked for a financial bailout after police failed to balance their 2013 budget.
"Let them look after their own budget, they sure as heck won't have my support," says Mayor Joe Fontana, ripping up a letter from police board chair Michael Deeb.
It asks city council for an additional $268,795 to balance its budget from last year.
Chief Brad Duncan says the deficit stems from risky reductions to their budget request made at the urging of city hall.
"We were trying to mitigate $1.2 million through last year's budget. We did a number of things last year to try to offset that deficit," says Duncan.
In the end, the police board's $98.6 million budget fell short of costs by $268,795.
The deficit is blamed on fewer retirements than anticipated, rising costs of workplace health and safety and other unavoidable cost overruns.
It's the first time in history police have come back to council with a deficit.
Normally able to offset it with money from reserve savings, police are already dipping into their reserves to the tune of $1 million to cover this year's budget.
"The reserve is becoming compromised. It is supposed to be used for investigative needs not for covering off these operating shortfalls," says Paul Paolotto, a member of the Police Services Board.
But the mayor wants to draw the line, "Manage your own affairs and don't think you can keep coming back to city hall and we are the only ones who can help you manage your own affairs."
As for the mayor ripping up the letter, Duncan says "I can't respond to the actions of the mayor. Obviously he had his reasons. All we can do is provide the best business case as we always have done."
The issue goes to the Corporate Services Committee next Tuesday.
