PRESS RELEASE: Horizon Ottawa Condemns Council Vote to Approve Status Quo Budget Directions, Potential Increase in Police Budget

OTTAWA - Horizon Ottawa condemns today's decision by City Council to approve budget directions that could see another increase in the police budget and a rise in transit fares at the behest of other community services like public health. The passing of the motion today is in complete disregard of a motion passed by the Police Services Board last year to look at either a freeze or a reduction in the Police budget as well as over a thousand residents who sent an e-mail asking councillors to vote against the motion today.

"The directions for the 2022 budget passed today continue the ongoing trend in Watson's Ottawa of writing a budget for the wealthy and well-connected in our city and not for the average resident." Said Sam Hersh, a Board Member of Horizon Ottawa. "This decision today does next to nothing to tackle the multiple crises we face and is not grounded in reality."

There was also a motion from Councillors Shawn Menard and Catherine McKenney to re-allocate money from a freeze of the Police budget to Ottawa Public Health. That motion was deferred to later in the fall once the Police budget would be released, meaning that residents and councillors will only be able to propose suggestions, ideas, and recommendations once the budget is already released and written.

"We will continue to fight against this police budget increase into the fall and beyond but the budget process we currently have at the city isn't a democratic one." Said Hersh. "We need a budget that is written by and for average residents not one that is written and centralized in the mayor's office."

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For Media Inquiries:

Sam Hersh

613-663-7018

[email protected]