City council heard the good, the bad and the ugly Monday evening as citizens reacted to the proposed $50 million 2008 budget.

Residents expressed anger, frustration and disappointment about some budget items, while approving and supporting others.

About 25 people attended the hearing, and a further 29 submitted comments in writing, confirmed Robert Fendrick, the city's director of administrative services.

For about an hour, each time a resident finished telling council what he or she thought of the $50-million budget, another hand shot up, wanting to speak to council.

Rick Karp, president of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce, was first up to the microphone.

Mayor Bev Buckway explained to him he had five minutes to speak, and that when the light in front of him turned yellow, he had one minute left. At the red light, he would be cut off, she said.

Karp, like most residents who spoke, came with a prepared statement.

'We cannot support the current city budget as it is presented,' he began. 'People contemplating the move to Whitehorse phone us all the time at the chamber asking about the cost of housing, the cost of food and gas and the tax rate, among other things.

'We need some incentives to bring people here to work and live.'

Karp supported the city's sustainability plan, city transit changes, graffiti cleanup efforts and hanging basket program on Main Street, saying those initiatives will make it easier and more enjoyable for people to work and do business in the city.

The proposed 7.5 per cent property tax hike, however, did not bode so well with the chamber, he said.

'It's like putting a big stop sign up at the border and telling people not to come to this city,' he said.

With that, Karp was cut off, as his five minutes were up. Councillors always have the chance to question delegates, however, so Coun. Doug Graham threw Karp a bone, asking, 'Is there anything you want to add that you didn't have time to say?'

Karp questioned the planned water meter program, asking if it really will be environmentally beneficial if city workers have to drive around in vehicles, house to house, reading meters while their engines idle.

Karp thanked council and returned to his seat, leaving room for Doug MacLean, a Riverdale Community Association spokesperson, to speak.

He said the proposed 50-cent fare increase to ride city buses may reduce ridership, based on studies he had read from other municipalities.

He asked why the cost of city parking meters wasn't rising instead.

'At 50 cents an hour to park downtown, you're getting a real bargain!'

He also said an air quality study is needed in Riverdale, and asked council to include that as a budget item.

'A study is needed before action can be taken. We need funding for this,' he said.

Brian Eaton spoke next, on behalf of the Downtown Residents Association and as a member of the city's transit improvement committee.

He said the pilot addition of a downtown transit loop is a very positive budget item.

'Bravo to mayor and council,' he said. He did ask that in the future, bus service be extended into weekday evening hours, and not just the proposed Friday night service extension of 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

'There are those people with an evening class at the college, they can get to the college for their class but then when it's over, they can't get back.'

Next up to the microphone before council was resident Doug Rutherford, and the mood started to turn.

'Several items in the budget struck me as very disappointing,' he said.

He asked why the city's operating and maintenance (O&M) costs had gone up since the 2007 budget.

The 2007 operating budget was $41 million. The $9 million difference perturbed Rutherford.

The public hearing forum does not allow for councillors to respond directly to questions, Buckway reminded everyone, as it was not a public debate.

Rutherford also asked why the city blamed a growing population for the tax hike.

'An increased number of lots also includes an increase in revenue from property taxes. The argument of the growing city seems somewhat lost in this.'

He said the proposed tax increase, coupled with the recently announced property assessment increases by the Yukon government, made for some 'really wonky figures.

'Let's live within our means. Let's not go to a tax increase every time we want to go shopping,' Rutherford finished.

Upon further questioning from Buckway and Graham, Rutherford said that because of higher property assessment values, he has paid 80 per cent more in municipal taxes over the last three years.

Takhini North resident Tanis Davey continued on a wave of displeasure in the budget.

'I find the city budget to be very disappointing and perplexing,' she said.

The city is currently involved with Takhini North residents as they try to find infrastructure replacement cost solutions to problems with the deteriorating existing water and sewage lines. Davey said the budget does not reflect the pressing need to replace such systems.

'This budget shows you ignore us ... you offer us no solutions,' she said. 'I don't feel listened to and therefore I don't feel represented by this council.'

Graham asked her if she thought the city should pay for infrastructure work on individual, private properties in her neighbourhood. Davey replied with an immediate yes.

'I feel that city council has not shown much leadership in coming up with other solutions,' she said, before returning to her seat. As Davey left, about half of the residents present followed her.

Charlotte Hrenchuk, representing the Yukon Status of Women Council, applauded city council for implementing the pilot run of the downtown transit loop. She said it is a good first step, but that weekday evening service is needed.

Harvey Jessup, a Wolf Creek resident, spoke next. He said he continues to be disgruntled that he pays for city services from which he does not always benefit, living so far from town.

'There are two services I pay for that I do not receive,' he said.

One is public transit ... a second service is fire protection.'

He said the service is available to him, but could not help save his home because of the distance it sits from the fire hall, and water availability to douse a fire. As a result of this, he said, his insurance rates go up.

'I pay for a service I don't receive, and then I'm penalized by my insurance provider for not receiving it.'

Paying higher taxes bothers him, Jessup said, because 'the service I receive in Wolf Creek has not changed since I built my home in 1979.'

Coun. Florence Roberts asked Jessup if he had taken advantage of the trial rural bus route when it was in operation to the city's outskirts.

Jessup replied that it was offered at very poor times. He said he works from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. To get to work, he said, he'd have to take a 7 a.m. bus, and still arrive at work 30 minutes late.

At the end of the day, he said, he would take a bus that wouldn't get him home until 7 p.m. Instead, he opts to bicycle into town, which takes him about 35 minutes.

Jessup did praise council for its work with increasing pedestrian-friendly traffic downtown, and for the Canada Games Centre.

'We should thank our lucky stars we have that ... if that means I have to pay more to use it, I'm glad to do it.'

Last to speak on the budget was Alex Furlong, president of the Yukon Federation of Labour (YFL).

'The YFL is not opposed to a tax increase in relation to O&M costs,' he began. 'But there are some areas of concern.'

He wondered aloud about the amortization period for large-scale projects.

'We're in favour of them, but can we do it in this amount of time, fiscally speaking?'

He suggested councillors look at big-ticket items in the budget and ask themselves if they really need to be done right now, or if they could be paid for over longer periods of time.

'Is it critical? Does it need to occur now? Is there any independent advice to say it needs to occur in this time frame?'

With that, Buckway asked three times whether any remaining residents wished to speak about the budget.

When no hands were raised, she declared the hearing closed, and promised all feedback will be taken into consideration.

She said all comments will be compiled into a report that councillors will use to help them prepare the budget for a second reading.

'If we don't get public input like this, it means the process is not working,' she said.

After the hearing, Buckway told the Star that as a result, the budget could change.

'The budget is a process,' she said. 'We do want comments, and it is very typical that changes are then made.'

She said the variety of feedback is indicative of a very involved public.

'The tough questions indicate people read the budget in great detail. There were no, you know, off-the-cuff comments. These were really well thought-out,' she said.

The turnout for the public hearing pleased her as well, she said.

'There were a lot of good comments too, which is a very positive sign. We can take the criticism, but it's nice to hear the positive too.'

Council has a number of in-camera, or private meetings this week to re-visit the budget and make changes.

The revised budget will then be presented at the next council meeting to receive second reading.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28. Next Monday is a standing committee meeting.