Tensions rise during Regina’s budget deliberations as city councillors debate where to find cuts

Regina City Councillor Dan Rashovich (Donovan Maess)

As Regina’s city budget deliberations trudged into a third day Wednesday, tensions are rising during debate on what areas to find cuts and efficiencies.

This is the first budget this iteration of council is setting. The proposed property tax increase is front of council and is the largest in more than a decade, it has all council members looking for ways to cut costs.

Where to do so has seen some clear lines in the sand drawn between the city’s two re-elected councillors and some of the fresh faces around the horseshoe elected last fall.

“Everybody’s talking about affordability,” rookie Ward 1 Coun. Dan Rashovich told his fellow members Tuesday afternoon. “They campaign on affordability, savings and rising costs. I haven’t seen us save a bunch of money here yet.”

Tuesday morning saw the completion of all delegations speaking to this year’s budget and the beginning of full council debate.

Rashovich, along with Couns. Tsiklis and Bezo have so far been leading a charge to find any cuts possible.

“The number one thing we’re hearing [from the public] is affordability,” Rashovich told reporters Wednesday morning. “[We] want to keep the mill rate down and you got to walk the talk.”

As of Wednesday morning, Rashovich has moved two amendments to either cut or pause funding to areas like transit or other infrastructure projects.

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Both were defeated in votes of 7-4 and 8-3 respectively – with Coun. Tsiklis and Coun. Bezo voting with Rashovich in both cases.

Ward 8 Coun. Shanon Zachidniak was one of just two re-elected councillors last civic election and is setting her fifth budget.

“I did not campaign on reducing taxes,” she said Tuesday. “It would be really helpful if people spoke about themselves and what they campaigned on, instead of making statements about what all of council did.”

Zachidniak has been the most vocal against the proposed amendments from Rashovich.

“With the proposed mill rate at 8.5 per cent there’s certainly a lot of appetite from everyone in the city to find reductions,” she told reporters Wednesday. “But we need to make sure we understand the ramifications of decisions that we’re making.”

Much of the 2025 proposed budget was built by administration based on previous council decisions.

However, striking a balance between those decisions and current council priorities has proved difficult in the first two days of budget discussions.

“This one little piece adds up to another little piece and adds up to another little piece,” Bezo said during debate. “Pretty soon, we’re at one per cent.”

“I can appreciate the passion for wanting to save some money,” responded Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli, who was also re-elected in November. “But because this has been so stalled for so long from implementation, I can’t back to saving this area.”

“At the rate that we are progressing on this, I’ll be dead before the city is fully accessible,” Ward 7 Coun. Shobna Radons added.

“There is some low hanging fruit,” Rashovich said. “We’ve only been here for four months.”

“It’s about looking out for all the taxpayers in the city and to keep the mill rate low because there’s an affordability crisis,” he added.

Other new councillors have also pushed back against some of the proposed cuts.

“When we invest into active transportation and when we invest in the transit – we save money,” Ward 3 Coun. David Froh said.

“Small savings now is not going to make a big difference,” Ward 6 Coun. Victoria Flores said. “I think it’s actually going to end up costing more in the future as prices increase due to inflation.”

“I don’t want to make trouble for us as a city,” Ward 2 Coun. George Tsiklis responded. “But if someone has an alternative to six per cent mill rate increases, let me hear them. I Haven’t heard any.”

City chief financial officer Daren Anderson suggested if council wants big cuts, they have to look at big spends.

“[Regina’s] total salaries increase for the year is roughly $10 million. Half of that is Regina Police,” he told councillors. “Administration is very cognizant of the impact on households and on taxation.

“I just want to make sure we’re understanding where our total salary dollars are going,” Anderson added.

“It is politically unpopular for many to raise taxes,” Froh said. “But in my judgment, equipped with the information we have, it’s irresponsible to wait for someone else to address our challenges.”

Council’s debate continues with discussion resuming on the operating budget Wednesday.

Once the general operating and capital budget are approved, council will then approve or deny the Regina Police Service budget before setting the utiliy budget and Regina Public Library grant request.