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Remarks by David B. Flemming, President of Heritage Ottawa at the meeting of the City of Ottawa's Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday, October 19, 2004. I am pleased to have this opportunity to contribute to the development of a budget rather than reacting to a draft budget as was the case earlier this year. I am here to speak in support of the City of Ottawa's arts and heritage programs and services and to urge you to table a budget which will reflect a balanced approach to the needs of Ottawa and its citizens.
The City of Ottawa has an obligation and trust to preserve and protect its documentary and material history and its built heritage. One of the guiding principles of the Ottawa 20/20 Official Plan recognizes Ottawa as "A Creative City Rich in Heritage, Unique in Identity" and notes that "Local arts and heritage give us community vitality; a path to creativity and innovation; and a sense of who we are." This sense of identity and place is best instilled through our municipally-funded museums, archives, and historical and heritage societies and events, and through the preservation of our built heritage and landscapes.
A city with a sense of its past is a proud and safe city which provides healthy, family activities for citizens and visitors alike. City funding for arts, heritage and community groups and facilities supplements the work of a small core of professional staff and hundreds of volunteers. This "investment" has a multiplier effect by enabling these organizations to raise even more funds from other levels of government and private sector sources, all for the benefit of the citizens of Ottawa.
Obviously, such support cannot be considered in isolation and must be balanced with the many other needs of the City and our ability to fund them. Budget building requires public input but it is more than just a popularity contest. We elect a Mayor and Councillors to do what is "best " for the citizens of Ottawa, even if it involves making unpopular decisions.
Although no one likes paying taxes, reasonable taxpayers can appreciate that a city that has only raised its property tax mill rate once in 11 years, cannot be expected to continue to fund programs and services at the same level. As citizens, we should not allow the inequities of our provincial property assessment program and the transfer of a portion of the tax base from the commercial to the residential sector, to eliminate or substantially reduce the programs and services required to make Ottawa a good place to live. Maintaining these services is perhaps the best 150th birthday present that we can give to our community.
I wish you well in your deliberations.
Thank you for your attention. _____________________________________________ |