Two Owen Sound Municipal Politicians have some definite ideas of what they want to see in today’s Provincial Budget.
Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners, who also is chair of the Grey County Social Services Committee, says there is a desperate need for more money to deal with housing.
She says many of the Counties rent to income housing units are in need of extensive repairs and retrofitting and there there is also a need for more affordable housing.
Mayor Lovell Stanners and Councillor Deb Haswell both want to see a stable source of funding for Municipalities in this budget.
The both says the situation that now exists is just not working as cities and towns across the Province more often than not have to compete for funding from the province for various Municipal projects.
Haswell likened it to a lottery when municipalities are keeping their fingers crossed in the hopes that will be approved for Provincial money.
She says there simply has to be a better way.
Mayor Lovell Stanners says she would like to see another program like the gas tax rebate implemented by the province where cities and towns are guaranteed a certain level of funding based on the size of the population.
Provincial Finance Minister Dwight Duncan will table his budget in the Legislature at 4 PM this afternoon and Bayshore Broadcasting News will have complete details shortly after that.