Dear Friends of C2C,
At C2C, we continue to busily prepare for the launch of the City’s 2012 Operating and Capital Budget this Monday November 28th. We are writing to inform you of some changes to the structure of the deputations on the 2012 City Budget – please note that deputations on the city budget will now start on Wednesday December 7, 2011 at 9:30 am at City Hall, a day earlier than originally scheduled.
Unlike recent deputations to Executive Committee that went all night, the Budget Committee has announced that this round of deputations will take place over December 7th and 8th from 9:30am to 9:30 pm on each day. According to the Budget Committee’s Notice, no additional time will be allotted for public deputations beyond 9:30 pm on Thursday December 8th. If you have already signed up to depute, and you were early on the list, please mark your calendar for December 7th instead of December 8th.
If you have not yet registered to depute, please note that you must register by Tuesday December 6th at 4 pm by contacting the City Clerk at buc@toronto.ca or 416-392-7340. In recent months, record-breaking numbers of deputations expressing concerns about budget cuts have made a significant impact on City Council. Please be sure to encourage any concerned community members you know to sign up in advance to depute.
Deputation Tips:
• When you register to depute, ask where you are on the list. Having an idea of what number you are may help you determine your schedule for December 7th and 8th.
• If you have never deputed before, this Step-by-Step Guide to making a Deputation will help you prepare. Commitment 2 Community’s Budget Update Flyer contains helpful information on the sorts of services and programs supported by city funding, their cost and their immense value to the city that you may also find useful.
• Want more background on what’s proposed in the 2012 budget? Attend a community meeting on the budget in your area! There are meetings in Scarborough, Etobicoke and downtown next week alone – find details about Upcoming Budget Events in your Community at our website, or see below.
• Background info on how previous budget shortfalls have been addressed can be found in the report Countdown to Zero: Balancing Toronto’s Budget.
• According to the Budget Committee’s notice, each speaker’s time may be cut down from the standard 5 minutes. You should plan to deliver your deputation’s key points in anywhere from 2-5 minutes.
• On the day of the deputations, you can track where you are on the list by clicking on the agenda for the Budget Committee on December 7th, which will be posted on the Budget Committee 2010-2014 webpage. You can see what number the deputations are at and get a sense of how fast they are going and when your name might be called so that you can arrive to deliver your deputation.
Important Dates:
City Budget Timeline:
November 28, 2011 – 2012 Operating & Capital Budget Launch – Will show areas of reduced spending.
December 7 & 8, 2011 – Public Hearings on the budget – make a deputation about the impact of budget cuts/changes. City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Committee Room 1 from 9:30am–9:30pm. Register by Dec 6th at 4 pm: buc@toronto.ca or 416-392-7340.
December 9 & 13, 2011 – Budget Committee wrap up of Operating and Capital Budget
January 12, 2012 – Executive Committee’s final review of the Operating and Capital Budget.
January 17-19, 2012 – City Council will debate and vote on the proposed Operating and Capital Budget.
Community Budget Events:
November 29, 2011 – Rexdale Civic Engagement Group City Budget Forum. 5:30-8 PM, Albion Library, 1515 Albion Rd.
November 30, 2011– South Etobicoke Social Welfare Reform Committee City Budget Forum. 5:30-8pm, Assembly Hall, Kipling Ave/Lake Shore Blvd W.
December 1, 2011– Social Planning Toronto Member Forum on the City’s 2012 Operating Budget.9:30 AM-12 PM, YWCA Elm Centre, 87 Elm Street Register: http://2012citybudgetforum.eventbrite.com/
December 3, 2011– Respect Scarborough – Public Forum on Budget Impacts. 1-4PM, Don Montgomery Community Centre, 2467 Eglinton Ave E. (by Kennedy Station) RespectScarborough.eventbrite.com
Please be sure to sign up to depute on December 7th & 8th! Feel free to contact C2C at c2c@socialplanningtoronto.org at any time with questions, ideas or dates for budget-related events in your area.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to community!
