A divided city council approved Winnipeg's infrastructure-spending plan for this year during a chippy special meeting that further damaged the strained relationship between Mayor Sam Katz and Fort Rouge Coun. Jenny Gerbasi.
On Tuesday, council voted 10-6 to approve the city's 2011 capital budget, a spending blueprint for $370 million worth of road, bridge, sewer and building construction projects and repairs.
The plan calls for the city to complete previously announced projects such as the $195-million Disraeli Freeway reconstruction, the $109-million Chief Peguis Trail extension and the $105-million conversion of the Canada Post building into a new police headquarters. It's also involves $69 million less in infrastructure spending than the city undertook in 2010, when federal stimulus funds brought the capital budget to $439 million.
On the floor of council, Katz and finance chairman Scott Fielding (St. James) described this year's capital budget as making the most with limited resources. But opposition councillors criticized the document for doing too little and also complained the plan was developed without their input.
Gerbasi went as far as accusing Katz of burying a report from an infrastructure council the mayor struck up in May and talked up during the civic election. She claimed the report, which was supposed to recommend ways the city can tackle its $3.5-billion infrastructure deficit, has not seen the light of day because "the mayor and his group don't like something in it."
Katz reacted angrily. "For any councillor to start making accusations or innuendos about things being buried, that's totally untrue and shame on you," he said before the vote. "Maybe you're looking for attention or love."
Gerbasi demanded an apology, but Katz refused. After the meeting, he told reporters the infrastructure council would soon hold its final meeting and issue a report afterward.
While the report might suggest higher development fees and a new sales tax, Katz said it's unlikely any of its recommendations will be included in the city operating budget, which he and Fielding are expected to table next week.
On the floor of council, Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt said the city has already hired consultants to explore the idea of creating development fees but rejected the idea. Wyatt slammed Katz for not borrowing more money to conduct infrastructure repairs, claiming the "city is crumbling" to the point where Winnipeg's roads are as bad as those in Cuba.
"Fidel doesn't like roads. I guess we don't like them either," quipped Wyatt, imploring Katz to use his powers as mayor "to move mountains."
Daniel McIntyre Coun. Harvey Smith also elicited laughs for suggesting it's just as easy to win the lottery as to get your back lane fixed in Winnipeg.
In the end, Smith, Wyatt, Gerbasi, John Orlikow (River Heights), Ross Eadie (Mynarski) and Mike Pagtakhan (Point Douglas) voted against the capital budget.
St. Vital Coun. Gord Steeves derided the opposition for criticizing the spending plan without offering alternatives. Katz said the opposition was merely motivated by ideology.
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca jen.skerritt@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 23, 2011 A4
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