Ken Boschcoff

Thunder Bay’s final city operating budget meeting is scheduled for January 28. The proposed property tax increase is still over council’s target of 2.6%.

The budget was first proposed January 16. City council met Thursday night for the first round of deliberations.

As it stands now, the property tax increase is 4.0%.

City council says its expenses have met the threshold, but agencies, boards and committees outside of their control are to blame for the discrepancy.

“If you have to save your money, you do,” mayor Ken Boshcoff said. “We all got to get through this together. So we need every board and agency to say: if the city of Thunder Bay itself can hold the line, then why can’t we?”

Boshcoff mentioned that marketing and public relations staffing are areas that boards and committees can reduce spending.

“I will say to each and every (board and committee) that they have to do better next year,” Boshcoff said. “If your child wants a larger allowance and you can’t afford it, you just don’t keep giving it to them.”