Regina council passes budget after 4 days of chaos, hard feelings and exhausting debate

After four days of debate, Regina city council has passed its budget, voting on the document that sets property taxes for the upcoming year after repeated failed attempts to set a fifth day aside for more debate.  

"People are tired, they're hungry, staff is here long days, Christmas is pressing. I'm prepared to call the question on the [budget]," said Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins. 

The budget passed 7 to 4 and came despite more councillors being registered to ask questions and potentially propose amendments. 

Mayor Sandra Masters laughed when asked whether it was good public policy to pass a budget because people were tired and wanted to go home. 

"I think when you read the tea leaves and see they have the six votes, that is what it is," she told media after the budget was passed. 

The tension-filled relationships between Regina city councillors took centre stage during the debate as council slowly clawed their way to a 2.85 per cent mill rate increase on the city's capital and operational budgets and a three per cent increase to the utility rate. 

The owner of the average home in Regina — assessed at $315,000 — will experience a $5.57 increase per month or $66.84 over the course of the year for property taxes, and an increase on utilities of $5.70 per month or $68.40 over a year.

A decision to transition all curbside services including garbage, recycling and food and yard waste collection to the utility bill means the owner of the average assessed home will pay an additional $8.52 per month. That's $102.24 over the course of the year. 

In total, the owner of the average assessed home will now see their taxes increase by $19.79 a month or $237.48 over the course of the year. 

For four days, voices were raised, staff excoriated and council members descending into bickering over whether certain projects should be funded. 

"You all make me sick. And this is politics, people. This is politics, and it makes me sick," said Coun. Terina Nelson, as debate turned to the funding of accessibility improvements to the nine-metre tall water slides at Wascana Pool. 

At one point  Masters temporarily turned off Nelson's microphone.

Masters would later tell media that she was very close to calling a vote to see the councillor.

"When we turn the microphone off and can get someone to lower their voice or change their tone then we can proceed," Masters said.