Kroetsch’s motion passed in a 12-3 vote and the Police Services Board has scheduled a special meeting for today to review the budget just two days before Councillors are scheduled to vote on final budget approval. Pictured: Councillor Cameron Kroetsch. Photo Credit: City of Hamilton.
As final decisions are set to be made regarding the 2024 Hamilton Police budget, Councillor Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2 – Downtown Hamilton) has been leading efforts to lower a proposed 8.41 per cent increase.
The proposed 2024 police budget is $214.8 million, which represents a $16 million (8.41 per cent) increase compared to 2023.
The budget ask was approved by the Hamilton Police Services Board but still has to be given the green light by Council.
However, during budget discussions on Jan. 30, Kroetsch brought forward a motion to refer the proposed Hamilton Police Services Board budget increase back to the board “requesting further review and consideration.”
The motion also asked for the board to outline “any additional redundancies and efficiencies” within the budget.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Tammy Hwang (Ward 4 – Hamilton East).
Providing an explanation for the motion, Kroetsch wrote in the document that Council had previously voted in 2011 to refer the proposed police budget at the time back to the Police Services Board for further review.
That 2011 motion was tabled by Councillors Lloyd Ferguson and Councillor Brenda Johnson, both of whom no longer serve on Council.
Kroetsch also referenced Mayor Andrea Horwath’s directive released in August 2023 which called for the city to “reduce the burden on residential property taxes” in the 2024 budget.
Kroetsch’s motion passed in a 12-3 vote and the Police Services Board has scheduled a special meeting for today to review the budget just two days before Councillors are scheduled to vote on final budget approval.
While the majority of Councillors sided with Kroetsch on his motion, there are other views he has expressed regarding the police budget that do not appear to be shared by the majority of Council.
Kroetsch has expressed heavy criticism of the police budget in the recent past expressing support for “Defund HPS”, a group that called for an “immediate” 20 per cent reduction to the Hamilton Police budget in 2020.
“Defund HPS” has also called for abolishing the police.
Kroetsch tweeted support for the group in 2020, saying that they were doing “great work.”
Kroetsch is also on the Hamilton Police Services Board and voted against increasing the police budget during earlier discussions.
It remains to be seen how further police budget deliberations will unfold in the coming week.
VOTING RESULTS
Vote on motion to refer the proposed Hamilton Police Services Board budget increase back to the board:
IN FAVOUR (12): Mayor Andrea Horwath and Councillors Maureen Wilson (Ward 1 – Chedoke-Cootes-Westdale), Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2 – Downtown Hamilton), Nrinder Nann (Ward 3 – East Hamilton Centre), Tammy Hwang (Ward 4 – Hamilton East), John Paul Danko (Ward 8 – West/Central Mountain), Brad Clark (Ward 9 – Upper Stoney Creek), Jeff Beattie (Ward 10 – Stoney Creek – Fruitland – Winona), Mark Tadeson (Ward 11 – Glanbrook – Binbrook – Mount Hope), Craig Cassar (Ward 12 – Ancaster – West Flamborough), Alex Wilson (Ward 13 – Dundas – Central Flamborough), Ted McMeekin (East Flamborough – Waterdown)
AGAINST (3): Matt Francis (Ward 5 – Hamilton East – Stoney Creek), Tom Jackson (Ward 6 – East Mountain), Mike Spadafora (Ward 14 – West Mountain)
ABSENT (1): Esther Pauls (Ward 7 – Central Mountain)
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
