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Hamilton Mayor disappointed with Budget

Hamilton Mayor Charles Gosling today expressed his “disappointment” with Premier Paula Cox’s 2011/2012 Budget.He said the cost-cutting Budget would have a negative impact on the city and cause “a number of capital projects” to be delayed or cancelled.The Corporations of Hamilton and St George lost their right to directly collect wharfage fees from ships using their docks — a move expected with the passage of the Municipalities Act last year.The municipalities will now receive an annual grant, instead of the $6.215 million they were projected to have collected.The City of Hamilton is to receive $5 million; the Corporation of St George will see an existing grant of $350,000 increased to $1.15 million.Said Mr Gosling in a statement issued today: “We are currently reviewing the 2011/2012 Budget and will meet with our partners to determine its full impact on the City of Hamilton’soperations. Our initial reaction is one of disappointment in that the Budget will have a greater negative impact on the City of Hamilton than anticipated.“The City of Hamilton’s 2011 budget was already extremely tight given Bermuda’s current financial situation, the reduction in revenues we experienced last year and already this year and a need to present a budget with some degree of balance.”He continued: “I believe a number of capital projects scheduled for this year, which do not impact the immediate safety of the public, will have to be delayed or cancelled.We will have to determine what, if any, mitigating options we have regarding our services, community activities and overall operational capabilities. Given that the monies received from Government are less by one-third from the estimated money the City of Hamilton was committed to by government in lieu of wharfage, this can have no other effect than cutting into our basic functionality.”