Paramedics 2011 Draft Budget
Transit, Fire, Police protection and Paramedic Services are very important elements in base City services, but at a reasonable cost.
A trend has developed whereby these services are expanding far in excess of the population of the city. Employee costs make up the lion’s share of the total expenditure and the increase in this cost is far in excess of those experienced in the private sector.
That’s the facts!
In 2002, under a different name, the budget for paramedics was $29,307,000. Employee expense was $23,186,000. The number of employees totaled 348.
In 2011, the draft budget for Paramedic Services reflects a gross expenditure of $69,760,000 with $57,303,000 of the amount expended for employee compensation. Total numbers of employees on hand or to be added in 2011 are 600.
So what we have again, and again, is in this situation, the gross expenditures increasing by 138 percent in 8 years and the employee expense increasing by 147 percent, while the number of employees increased by 72 percent.
In 2011, the gross expenses are offset by grants from The Ontario Government of $37,567,000 and various fees of $280,000. But folks, this is our tax money, municipal or provincial. The cost doesn’t change.
Average compensation cost in 2002 was $66,626.00 and in 2011, the draft budget employee cost is $95,505.00. Nice if you can get it.
Bill O’Malley
