Victoria police oppose city council's 2023 budget reduction

The Victoria Police Board is not following the city’s lead after requesting $6 million more than last year — a 9.55% increase. If tied to the cost of inflation, the net budget would only increase by $4.345 million.

Victoria police oppose city council's 2023 budget reduction
Rebel News
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The Victoria Police Board has turned down a 2023 budget reduction requested by the City Council, who asked the force to tie spending hikes to inflation.

In February, Victoria passed a motion to demand “a new 2023 draft budget that caps the property tax increase at inflation (6.96%) and that the Police Board develop a new draft budget at the same rate.” 

“We took the very difficult decision to hold the line at inflation because people understand that. and our council believes that that is not an unreasonable ask of the police department as well,” said Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto.

But the Victoria Police Board is not following the city’s lead after requesting $6 million more than last year — a 9.55% increase. If tied to the cost of inflation, the net budget would only increase by $4.345 million.

The Police Board’s Finance Committee chair Doug Crowder wrote on February 23 that such a budget reduction would threaten its ability to deliver policing services to the community adequately. 

“Although the board acknowledges the difficult choices council has to make during this inflationary period, the board still believes that its budget meets the legislative requirements under the Police Act to provide adequate and effective policing to the city and Township,” wrote Crowder. 

“Therefore, the Board is not prepared to amend the budget as requested by Council.” 

Under the Police Act, the City Council can reject the Police Board’s assertions. 

“I hope that they had a good rationale for doing that. I think that rationale has to be situated in the context of residents’ ability to pay. And the service provision included in the budget,” said Alto.

The 2023 police budget is approximately $70 million. Victoria Police Board co-chair Barb Desjardins maintains they provided the council with its best possible budget.

“The board does its deliberations to come forward with a budget that they feel meets the requirements for safe and proper policing for the two communities,” said Desjardins.

Should Victoria barrel ahead with a budget cut, Crowder warned of unforeseen consequences. 

“Choosing [between] these items is a difficult decision for Council to make independently as the impact of doing so may not be obvious,” said Crowder.

“For the Board to remove items would conflict with our legislative requirement to provide adequate and effective policing; therefore, the Board will not preemptively make any adjustments.” 

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