BRIDGEWATER - Senior management from this town is going to present civic politicians a capital and operational budget game plan in the wake of one councillor's prediction of "troubled" financial times ahead.

 Bridgewater's also penning letters to provincial and federal government representatives in hopes the higher levels of administration give them a hint if there's spending repercussions coming down the pipes.

 Either way, local politicians are putting their townspeople on notice that the 2011-12 budget and perhaps more after that could be some of the tightest in recent memory.

 Councillor Jim Bell suggested council's doing the right thing by being upfront early about what may come.

 "The more lead time that anyone has to prepare for less disposable income will be beneficial for everybody," he said last week.

 Councillor Bill McInnis said the town may not be able to do all that it wants to do, and should scale back some of its borrowing and spend accordingly within the parameters of the tax revenue coming in.

 "I think we're going into some troubled times and I think we have to be proactive and live within our means at the very least," he said.

 Council wanted a preliminary chat about finances well before tabling a budget next year that's expected to include a special purpose tax to help pay for building the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. The North Street and Aberdeen Road street widening and roundabout project are also on the town's radar screen.

 The province's review of program spending and re-examination of its dealings with municipalities also has the town thinking about its own spending and what it's prepared to do.

 Deputy Mayor David Walker said there's uncertainty surrounding the next move from both cash-strapped Ottawa and the province and how it will impact municipalities. That's why he said he thinks the town should put everything on the table for potential belt-tightening.

 "I think we have to look at possible cuts across the board," he said.

advertisement

 Town staff mentioned there are costs taxpayers have to eat up with little or no choice, including matters related to police pensions and binding arbitration.

 Town engineer Harland Wyand suggested other levels of government impose rules and regulatory changes that municipalities end up absorbing in extra costs. It's something the province and Ottawa need to know if they're thinking of downloading.

 "If we're going to be poor for a bit let's be poor together," he said.

posted on 11/23/10