Gord Steeves (CHRISD.CA FILE)
Mayoral candidate Gord Steeves would enact a hiring freeze at city hall, saying a halt to salaries in non-essential positions could save $5.6 million annually.
“Our city government is growing faster than the city itself is, and that’s not sustainable,” Steeves said. “We need to control our expenses and keep those costs in line with our growth.”
Steeves said on Monday the savings can be found without job losses or layoffs through attrition. He will also implement a budget control system requiring all departments prepare monthly payroll reports with actual wages by position, overtime costs and the comparison with the monthly budget.
He also said goods and services acquisitions should be limited to the consumer price index, which would save another $35 million per year.
Steeves said the roughly $40 million in annual savings could be diverted to infrastructure and is the equivalent of a 10 percent property tax decrease.
— Staff
