In order to meet the budget expectations of Common Council, Saint John Transit is proposing to reduce service by 18 per cent. Five routes would be eliminated altogether in Lorneville, Fundy Heights, Martinon, Loch Lomand and Red Head. Night service would be eliminated in Milford and Greendale, Wright Street and Fort Howe, the south end at St. Joseph’s along with Crescent Valley. Bus service would start later in the morning and end earlier at night.
Several councillors are saying they would support bus fares rising by 25 cents and Councillor Gerry Lowe vows he will never support eliminating routes altogether.
The fire department will require an additional half million dollars next year to maintain its current level of service. The elephant in the room is what the wage increase will be in a new contract agreement especially if it goes to arbitration where settlements have been around 3.75 per cent.
Common Councillor David Merrithew, who chairs the city’s Finance Committee, is calling on the firefighters union to show restraint. He warns there will be job losses if wage hikes for firefighters are from 3 and a half to 4 per cent. City Manager Pat Woods also says wage increases of that magnitude are unaffordable but he cautions any reductions in fire protection have to be carefully thought out so public safety is not jeopardised. Fire Chief Kevin Clifford told Council eliminating a tanker unit would cut four jobs and save 400 thousand dollars.
The Police Commission is asking Common Council for an additional million dollars next year for policing the city. The problem is the city will only have three million dollars more revenue to work with next year for everything. The Chair of the Police Commission Jonathon Franklin told Council, unlike the fire department, because of the terms of the contract agreement, the police department can’t just starting laying off people to reduce costs.
