Mayor's tax-busting working group under fire - even by one of its own members

A recommendation to suspend half of the funding that supports Community Capital Grants has landed the mayor’s property tax working group on the hot seat at city hall.

The Strategic Opportunities Review Working Group (SORWG) was created by Mayor Josh Morgan earlier this year as a process for council members to bring forward recommendations that will reduce upcoming property tax increases.

On Thursday afternoon, however, the group’s preliminary list of savings and revenue ideas fueled pushback from the community-- and councillors.

Following a number of delegations by non-profit organizations calling for the continuation of Community Capital Grants and the Neighbourhood Decision Making Program, several councillors questioned the working group’s relevance.

“There is a time and a place to have these budget discussions. We're creating more problems than I think they're worth right now,” Coun. Hadleigh McAlister told colleagues.

Even a member of the SORWG questioned its usefulness because there’s no requirement that its recommendations will appear in the mayor’s 2025 budget proposal.

“Why am I spending five hours in a committee if at the end of the day, everything that we're deciding is then going to go back again for another decision?” fumed Coun. Corrine Rahman.

Morgan responded, “If council doesn't like what I put in the budget, they have that business case to make changes to it.”

Strong mayor powers awarded by the province require the mayor to draft an annual budget and present it to council for consideration and possible amendments.

The mayor can veto changes council makes, but a veto can be overruled by a two thirds majority of council.

Standing outside the home of Reforest London, Brendon Samuels explained the importance of Community Capital Grants, “This is a building that underwent desperately needed renovations thanks to community grant funding from the City of London.”

After speaking to the council committee as a delegation and listening to the debate on Thursday, Samuels believes the working group’s Terms of Reference need to clarify public input opportunities and whether its recommendations must be incorporated by the mayor.

“Ultimately we spend all this time and staff resources creating these recommendations, and we don't know if the mayor's going to listen to these. What's really the point of any of this?,” he asked.

Former Mayor Matt Brown recently posted on social media, “After hours of debate & process, council may recommend this to mayor. If it's approved, you save $5. Your $5300 tax bill will now be $5295. Best way to keep taxes affordable? Don't raise them by 33% in the 1st place.”

Morgan admits the proposals being considered for 2025 would be small compared to the total property tax burden on Londoners, but points to a proposal to offer city-funded agencies access to free service review training to help them find financial efficiencies.

“We had a very short runway for 2025,” explained the mayor. “I think there's a number of ideas that the working group has set in motion that could actually generate larger savings in subsequent budget years.”

The next meeting of the Strategic Opportunities Review Working Group is tentatively scheduled for September 4.