Timmins city council is getting praise from the local chamber of commerce as it tries to reduce the 2017 budget by two percent. But at the same time the chamber wants the mayor and council to make tough decisions. Chamber president Chris Bender says that includes reducing services that don’t offer enough public value. Bender says enhancing existing services will only drive taxes higher at a time when Timmins has the fastest-rising property taxes in Ontario. Bender adds the city’s service levels are above average for a city the size of Timmins. The chamber wants the city to spend more to improve infrastructure which it believes will encourage businesses attraction and expansion.
