Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 04/98) - The best-attended committee meeting each year began with a reality check this time around.

Volunteers and organizers who packed city council chambers Monday to make funding requests for 1999, first heard city administration's accounting of the collective impact on the budget of the fiscal realities council must bear in mind when formulating the budget.

Groups requested a total of $745,500 from council. Individual councillors have identified ways to spend another $975,000. Taking into consideration other anticipated and potential expenses, to pay for all of those requests would require a 17 per cent increase in property taxes.

It was a message that hit home with several of those who made a case for funding Wednesday evening.

"We're asking for $50,000," said Stanton Hospital Foundation spokesperson Cappy Elkin. "We thought of asking for more, but I'm glad we didn't after seeing your presentation."

Council has some tough choices ahead of it.

Many of the requests came from volunteer and non-profit organizations filling the social services void left by government's removal of itself from the expensive business of helping those in need.

The Side Door youth drop-in centre, Bosco Homes (which provides homes for special needs foster kids), the YWCA, Tree of Peace, Victims Services and Students Against Drunk Driving, were among the groups asking for dollars to continue providing social services.

Alongside those organizations were representatives of culture, arts and recreational organizations.