Hamilton residents voice concerns at annual budget meeting

Hamilton residents and community organizations were able to voice their concerns Tuesday at the city’s public meeting regarding the 2024 budget.

It started at 3 p.m. and heard from a long lineup of various individuals and organizations from across Hamilton, including the Hamilton District Labour Council and the McMaster Students’ Union.

Several issues continued to come up surrounding the housing crisis, the need for safer neighborhoods and high taxes.

READ MORE: City of Hamilton seeking public feedback on 2024 budget process

The City of Hamilton 2024 proposed budget represents an average residential property tax increase of 7.9 per cent.

Some people appeared in person and others virtually, wanting to make sure their tax dollars are spent wisely.

“People are on the brink … and many are left with the difficult choice between housing and having food,” Abigail Samuels from the McMaster Students Union said at the meeting.

“Every dollar invested in public transit impacts affordability, accessibility, helping to fight back against the climate emergency,” Anthony Marco from the Hamilton District Labour Council said.

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The Just Recovery Coalition is made up of several organizations including the Y.W.C.A. Hamilton and Environment Hamilton.

The group is advocating for more financial assistance to cope with increasing need.

They say the not-for-profit sector faces unprecedented demand with significant human resource and financial challenges.

The Just Recovery Coalition held a press conference outside of City Hall at 1 p.m. ahead of the meeting.

In a letter attached to today’s General Issues Committee Agenda Package, Joshua Weresch, a local resident, voiced his concerns about the budget.

“I am most deeply concerned with the percentage of each tax dollar that is directed toward policing services,” he wrote. “It is the largest budget item in the 2023 budget.”

Weresch went on to say that if some of those tax dollars were diverted from policing services, they could be better used to reach some of the city’s sustainability goals.

“The other outcomes in sustainable development can handily be addressed as more money is diverted from policing services toward an accelerated response to climate change.”

Council is set to vote on the 2024 budget on Feb. 15.

READ MORE: Hamilton’s Chief of Police defends request for $20M budget increase