There are lingering concerns about the sustainability of the police budget. The Police Commission appeared before council last night to answer questions about the $25,000,000 document. Both Councillor David Merrithew and Mayor Don Darling are worried about the numbers.
Merrithew says the budget with some of its assumptions is risky. Darling says wage escalation expectations and service expectations are unsustainable especially when you compare the cost per capita here against per capita policing costs elsewhere. The Mayor says it is costing $346 per capita for policing service in Saint John while the greater Moncton area sits at $197 per capita.
City Manager John Collin says looking forward to the 2022 municipal budget – there will be no budget increases for any services. He says the various departments will have to find ways to cover off any increased costs within existing budget allotments.
