One mayoral candidate is taking a shot at a fellow frontrunner with claims that the city is operating at a major capital funding deficit.
Larry Horwitz says a budget related document pulled from the City of Windsor website suggests that the city's capital budget is operating at a $103 million funding deficit.
“We cannot continue with Dilkens approach of spending on legacy projects, while infrastructure deficit continues to grow,” Horwtiz says.
He says this is about transparency and accountability, adding that Windsor residents are under the impression that the big legacy projects are paid for.
“People think it’s pay as you go. In theory it is, in reality, what we've done is tie the hands of the future council,” says Horwitz. “The next four years after this year, council is committed to $103 million.”
But both Drew Dilkens, and current mayor Eddie Francis are refuting Horwitz’s claims, saying he clearly demonstrates a lack of understanding of the budget process.
“The information is factually incorrect,” says Dilkens. “There is a benefit to sitting around for eight budgets. I have experience in how it works and the complexities. It’s hard for me to refute something if it’s an error to begin with.”
“If there was a deficit, you would not have heard from Larry, you would have heard from the CFO,” says Francis. “There is no funding deficit.”
Instead, under a five year plan, Francis says the next council will have a fully funded $400 million capital budget available to them. He says the current council has left a wonderful legacy for the incoming council and says Horwitz is telling a story that's not true.
“I'm going to be vocal supporting our record and correcting misinformation. This is misinformed, wrong information and it’s our obligation to ensure the right info is out there”
Mayoral candidate John Millson says there's one way to settle any concerns about the city's finances.
“We need am auditor general. No more bells and whistle, get someone in to see what's right and wrong.”
The city's Chief Financial Officer Onorio Collucio says the city has never been in a better position financially.