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Chamber wants city to conduct spending review

Other delegates at Monday’s meeting addressed the city’s 2015 operating budget.

Other delegates at Monday’s meeting addressed the city’s 2015 operating budget.

Philip Fitzgerald spoke on behalf of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce. He expressed concern about the lack of feedback posted to the city’s budget website.

“We’re at a loss why the city, after investing significant time at the Canada Games Centre, on a webpage and an online budget tool, hasn’t made any (input) results available for anyone to look at,” he said.

“We would view this as a positive measure as it would improve the public’s comprehension of the financial constraints around it and the progression of the budget.”

Fitzgerald also encouraged the city to undergo a comprehensive review of the activities and services it provides.

Since the city’s biggest expense is salaries - 49.6 per cent of the $69 million budget will go towards wages and benefits - it would be beneficial to look at which services the private sector could offer, he said.

Second and third reading of the operating budget are scheduled for Jan. 26.