By a vote of 6-3, Victoria Council passed the police department Budget,keeping the increase to inflation-plus-1%.
But in getting to the decision councillors struggled with a compromise motion from Councillor Ben Isitt that included requiring VicPd to cover the cost of the new Employer Health Tax, something no other city department has been asked to do.
But Isitt reasoned VicPd has the most substantial resources of any city department, and is best positioned to identify savings and absorb the EHT cost.
Chief Constable Del Manak says while he is relieved no current staff will have to lose their jobs, he still has concerns:
" Again, there's that element of unfairness where every other city department did not have to pay through their increase for the Employers Health Tax, but Victoria Police Department will continue to pay that. The compromise that council has found is that some of the monies that we were going to take from our surplus and send to our reserves, that will just reduce that. So, while although that works for this year it's certainly not a good financial strategy."
Manak cautions while that strategy may work for one year, we need to be very careful about going down that road in future years. He also says services will be impacted. He says that includes a popular pilot project involving the Assertive Community Treatment Team, or ACT -- a mental health program focusing on individuals and their recovery.
However Councillor Isitt is hailing the budget as a win for taxpayers and VicPd. He says not only will there not have to be layoffs, the city's projected tax increase has been reduced from 4.3% to 3.9%.
Isitt says it's good news story, and demonstrates council can pursue fiscal restraint in policing expenditures without compromising public safety:
" I think it's important to exercise restraint in policing expenditures, but to see that we were able to do that without impacting existing employees, and without having to proceed with layoffs, I think it is a good news story."
Some councillors voiced concern at treating VicPd differently than other city departments, as only they are being required to cover the EHT cost, and they won't get other resources they say they need.
Besides deflecting the EHT cost to VicPd, councillors approved efficiencies in non-staffing resources, and identified funds to hire 6 new officers mandated by the province.
Meantime final consideration of the City of Victoria's 2019 Budget and the final determination of the tax rate, is expected in April.