County council rejected Wednesday a request from the City of Windsor to split the cost of the 2014 Ontario Summer Games, citing tight budgets, major policing expenses next year and community opposition.
“Personally, I’m not in favour, certainly not to the level the city is requesting,” LaSalle Mayor Ken Antaya said. “I don’t think we can afford it.”
Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis asked county council to co-host the games with the city next year in a 50-50 cost sharing arrangement, with half of the events occurring in the county. The projected cost of the games was $1.2 million to pay for accommodations and food.
CAO Brian Gregg outlined Wednesday ways the county could pay for the $636,000 amount requested, which included a possible one per cent tax increase, borrowing from capital reserves or using the rate stabilization fund.
Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara said OPP costs will be 2.2 per cent of the town’s tax increase next year.
“We’ve made our commitment with the hospitals, physician recruitment, hospice, angioplasty; there is $5 million we’ve committed with none from the city,” McNamara said.
Francis said after the meeting he wasn’t surprised that county councillors turned down the funding request. He said he understands budget constraints — the city has been holding the line on taxes for six years.
He said the request was made to team up with the city on an event that benefits young athletes, and “clearly they didn’t want to.”
He pointed out there was no mention by county administration that they were informed recently they were going to receive a surplus from money paid to the 2013 social services budget.
“It would have been nice if they had given us a token amount,” Francis said. While there was discussion of being a sponsor, no councillor proposed giving the city less than what it asked.
Amherstburg Mayor Wayne Hurst said he’d love to see the 3,500 athletes, coaches and other participants come to the area with a possible economic spinoff of $3.5 million to $4.5 million, but he couldn’t support the county raising taxes by one per cent to pay for it.
Most councillors said they were inundated with phone calls and emails from residents urging councillors to reject the funding request.
Warden Tom Bain and Kingsville Coun. Tamara Stomp supported the funding request and thought it would be a great opportunity to show the world what a great place Essex County was as a place to live and work.
“I received emails from people who said it would be good to get involved, but a lot said 50 per cent was too high,” Bain said.
Eleven councillors opposed the request.
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