SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Although it's only been a month since city council passed the 2011 budget, some councillors are already planning for next year.

When asked what their top priorities for 2011 are, city councillors Amanda Mallon, Cory Vanthuyne, Paul Falvo and David Wind all indicated the need to review the city's budget process.

"I wasn't happy with a few things with regards to the budget, so I think there's opportunities to improve the process," said Vanthuyne. "I don't have all the answers right now, but I have basic ideas on some things I would like to see."

One suggestion is for each project to be measured against the city's four goals - affordability, enhancing our built environment, building social capital and continuous improvement, said Vanthuyne.

"I would like to see a mechanism put into the budget process that says we have to weigh against those four goals," he said.

Wind agrees that something needs to change to give council a greater role in the budgeting process, an opinion he voiced during budget deliberations.

"As councillors we seem to have very little ability to adjust the budget, particularly constrain it," he said. "I would like to get councillors to agree to a policy that would have the city look at what kind of revenues we have available to us at the existing levels of taxation, as a constraint on city expenditures."

Mallon said the budget process is an issue every year.

"I'd like to review the budget process, so that we can make sure we are giving a good service to our residents."

Falvo said he's starting to communicate with residents about the 2012 budget now.

"It's not too early to be thinking about (it)," he said. "The budget affects every single thing that we do, so I'd like to get the process, the engagement with citizens and the feedback started right away, so that we aren't caught by surprise or so nobody feels left out at the end of the year."

The 2011 budget passed by a five to three vote, with a property tax increase of 3.99 per cent.

Couns. Vanthuyne, Wind and Falvo voted against the increase, while Couns. Bob Brooks, Lydia Bardak, Mark Heyck, Shelagh Montgomery and Mallon voted in its favour.

During deliberations, councillors were unable to cut anything from the budget to lower the tax increase.

It was Yellowknife's seventh consecutive increase.

The budget wasn't the only priority noted by councillors.

Vanthuyne, Montgomery and Heyck said they are looking forward to seeing what comes of the proposed $60.4 million Con Mine district energy system that will heat 39 downtown buildings.

"It will certainly be a step in the right direction for building a self-sufficient, sustainable city and I'm very excited about watching this process grow over the next handful of years," said Vanthuyne.

Mallon and Bardak both identified the women's transitional home, which will be built on 54 Street, as a project they're particularly excited about.

The city's harbour plan, which is meant to establish a framework and vision for Yellowknife Bay, including waterfront lands from the Yellowknife Bay in the north to Negus Point in the south, was also identified by Wind and Bardak.

"I'm particularly looking for the regulatory framework component that's to come out of that harbour planning committee," said Wind.

"To ensure that people can use this wonderful waterfront and recreational space harmoniously, so that everybody's rights are respected, (so) that we can get on with life."

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