The budget committee has approved the roughly 13% ask, but the region as a whole still has to, which includes more hiring
The give and take is underway between the Niagara Region and its police force, over next year's budget.
Regional budget chair Wayne Redekop says the NRP is asking for a just over 13% increase over last year, meaning a roughly 5-percent increase in the regional tax bill.
He adds the police want to hire another 64 people. "Many of them are front line police officers, but there are administrative and some civilian staff. So, they're not going to be able to hire all those people at the beginning of the year, they're going to be hired throughout the year."
He says while the budget committee approved it, the region as a whole still has to.
He adds they hear from people all the time as budgets go up every year.
"The overall regional tax increase, and this doesn't include waste management or the regional transit, is around 10%. And a full half of that is because of the police, and people take note."
The budget chair says cutting a million dollars isn't too much in a $216-million budget.
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