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Park and library cuts decided, while Vancouver foregoes parking revenue

November 26th, 2009 · 16 Comments

Here’s the Vancouver Sun’s recap of last night’s difficult park and library board meetings (though unfortunately doesn’t specify the third park board commissioner who voted against the cuts). Also a little confusing, as Loretta Woodcock says there are sponsors willing to fund the petting zoo and conservatory, but Ian Robertson makes it sound as though the sponsors won’t have a chance to donate now that the board’s made the decision to close the two attractions.

On other news from the there-will-be-blood budget front, my pal Allen Garr did a fun FOI to find out how much the city is giving up in parking revenue by allowing people to get one free “get out of parking ticket” pass just by making a call to city hall begging for mercy. (I have to say, as an aside, that I used this once and so am not completely opposed to this freebie. I also wonder if it would really net the city that much more money as my bet is that some people just wouldn’t pay anyway, even if they didn’t get the forgiveness.)

And over on citycaucus, an interesting questionnaire circulating among exempt staff at city hall, apparently, asking how they feel about giving up a four-per-cent salary increase.

Categories: City Hall Talk