City Hall Can’t Get Its Fiscal Story Straight

A lot of things don’t make sense in the city response to its real or imagined fiscal crisis.

Why are figures of financial problems bouncing around Ottawa City Hall haphazardly? Too many huge gaps are appearing in figures. OC Transpo was losing $1 million a month. Now its $160 million a year. Could it be the city doesn’t really have a plan, it has panicked or can’t get its excuses in order?

We know why the city would release horrible fiscal figures in the dog days of August. Nobody’s home. But why would you call for Ottawans to rise up against the federal and provincial governments because of their lack of “fairness” in funding. Unlikely we will be hearing the march of sensible shoes toward city hall to protest unfairness in August. Nobody’s home.

So here’s what we know. We might or might not have a fiscal crisis at city hall. You can’t trust what the city says. The problem does not reside with the senior levels of government and their funding as the city maintains. Fiscal figures are being tossed around like beach volleyballs in Paris. But at least in beach volleyball there’s a purpose to the bouncing.

The city is confused, inconsistent and just plain wrong in its explanation of the real or imagined fiscal crisis.

Business as usual in so many ways at city hall.

Ken Gray

For You:

Meehan Withdraws From Conservative Riding Race

CITY FISCAL CRISIS: Stupid Is As Stupid Does

All Sutcliffe Wants Is Fairness: WHOPPER WATCH