Mayor updates city's financial status and proposed projects list

Prince Rupert Mayor Jack Mussallem took time on February 4 to provide an update on the city’s financial situation, as well as provide an idea of some of the projects being looked at for 2009.

“The short-term deficit has existed for a number of years and was the result of unpaid pulp mill taxes in the amount of $22 million. By the end of 2008 the City managed to get that outstanding deficit down to zero, and that’s really an acknowledgment of prior city councils and the work of staff,â€

This is a very interesting topic.  Can the Mayor confirm that the 22 million debt that they managed to get rid of is still not owing to all the reserve funds that they borrowed from water, sewer and garbage to make this happen!  Does the Mayor not realize that they have an obligation under the Community Charter to replace these funds…

They got rid of a deficit, not a debt.

The city still has a $8.7 million debt?