Fierce debate over the rate of social housing rents dominated the meeting, while funding for changes in the city centre, and spending on homeless services, also featured.
Daryl Barron, the Fianna Fáil councillor, said the government should stay flexible on the Rates Waiver Scheme and “take this month by month”, and “if we need to change course again, we can”.
“Equity budgeting”, which some other cities – such as Toronto – use, involves constantly asking during the budgeting process how proposed changes would affect existing inequalities.
A steep fall in commercial rates paid to the council, a plan to borrow to build a new hub for council workers, and piloting a place for people to wash.
With a drop in rates and other revenue streams – and the need to ramp up some services – the council will have to turn to a bail-out from central government, say councillors.
With Dublin City Council short of money, councillors on the finance committee have agreed to consider a different way to raise cash: civic crowdfunding.
Councillors voted to increase rates on commercial businesses, increase the East Link toll, and increase parking charges, as they passed the city’s budget.
The draft 2020 budget points to a funding system “that does not provide the required financial resources to sustain Dublin City Council services”, says council chief Owen Keegan’s report.
