Trimming the Hamilton budget
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City councillors in Hamilton are already looking for ways to trim the proposed 2015 budget which was tabled Friday at city hall. The document calls for a 4.4% increase. Council will be looking at how to increase the city’s commercial and industrial tax base.
During deliberations this morning, Hamilton councillor Chad Collins argued that homeowners cannot continue to shoulder the bulk of the costs to run this city. He said more has to be done to grow what has become a stagnant industrial-commercial tax base.
Collins points to the controversial $27 million, city owned Lister Block as an example of where the city has failed: “The Lister Block is certainly a lost opportunity for the city. I was one of those who voted against the purchase and redevelopment of it. It’s a wonderful building, it looks fantastic but we paid almost $27 million for it. If we were trying to sell it today, we’re probably looking at a market value of $10 million maybe 11. Those are statistics that came from our previous general manager, Mr. McCabe.”
Fred Eisenberger was mayor at the time the city bought the Lister Block: “The Lister Block was kind of an historical institution and I think it was absolutely worth the money from two perspectives. One, we preserved the heritage and that’s a good thing to do and it always costs a little bit more. But in the second instance, we needed to accommodate more staff.”
And they did. The building is filled with civil servants. But other than a small area occupied by a cafe, the commercial component has been a bust.
Rom D’Angelo is Director of Facilities Management and Capital Programs for the City of Hamilton: “With the previous tenant we had two month’s rent and then it went into default.”
Today the city issued an Request For Proposal in hopes of finding a new tenant who can occupy the vacated restaurant space immediately.
Rom D’Angelo: “Well, the RFP closes on July 29th we are expecting to evaluate the RFP’s. It’s going to be three to four weeks to evaluate and we’re hoping to award beginning of March.”
And they’re hoping to have the restaurant open for business by the spring.
