Performance-Based Budgeting
Before asking residents to pay more, the Town must prove it is spending wisely.
Why Performance-Based Budgeting Matters
Smiths Falls needs a smarter, more transparent approach to budgeting. Tax increases and rising water fees should never be treated as the default answer when the Town faces financial pressure. Before asking residents to pay more, Council has a responsibility to review how money is being spent, what results are being achieved, and whether each dollar is delivering real value.
If elected Mayor, I will move Smiths Falls toward performance-based budgeting, building the budget around clear goals, measurable outcomes, and public accountability. Instead of simply asking how much each department spent last year and how much more it needs this year, we should be asking what each program is meant to accomplish, how success is being measured, and whether the results justify the cost.
Clear Goals
Every program should start with a clear purpose, what it is meant to accomplish for the people of Smiths Falls.
Measurable Outcomes
Spending is judged on results. We measure how success is defined and whether the outcomes justify the cost.
Public Accountability
Residents should see not only where their tax dollars go, but what those dollars actually achieve.
Why This Approach
Performance-based budgeting is a best practice for making smart spending allocation choices. PBB connects dollars to outcomes and helps Council make difficult decisions based on evidence rather than habit, politics, or internal pressure.
It also creates a much higher level of transparency. Residents should be able to see not only where their tax dollars are going, but what those dollars are achieving. If the Town is spending money on roads, recreation, policing, infrastructure, economic development, water services, or administration, the public should be able to understand the purpose of that spending, the expected results, and whether those results were delivered.
- Connects dollars directly to outcomes so spending is judged on results.
- Helps Council compare priorities more clearly across departments.
- Identifies programs that are working and improves those that are underperforming.
- Drives decisions based on evidence rather than habit, politics, or internal pressure.
Where The Current Approach Falls Short
The current administration has shown a willingness to raise taxes and water fees, but not the same willingness to do the hard work of methodically reviewing the budget through a transparent, data-driven process.
Too often, Council appears to defer to municipal staff to determine when increases are needed, instead of taking full ownership of its responsibility to challenge assumptions, test priorities, and demand clear evidence before asking residents to pay more.
Council’s Role
Municipal staff have an important role to play, and their expertise should be respected. But elected officials are not there simply to approve recommendations. Council is elected to represent the public, set priorities, ask difficult questions, and make sure residents are receiving value for money.
A budget should not be a document that only accountants and administrators can understand. It should be a public accountability tool.
How It Would Work In Practice
As Mayor, I would expect every major department and service area to clearly identify its goals, costs, service levels, performance measures, and outcomes. Council and residents deserve a budget process that shows what is working, what is not, and where public dollars can be used more effectively.
Goals
Define what each service area is meant to accomplish.
KPIs
Set key performance indicators that measure success.
Costs
Make the true cost of each program clear and visible.
Service Levels
Document the level of service residents receive.
Outcomes
Report the results actually delivered.
Public Review
Let Council and residents see what is and is not working.
What This Does Not Mean
This does not mean cutting services blindly. In fact, it means the opposite. It means protecting the services that matter most by making sure money is being used effectively.
It means finding savings where programs are inefficient, investing more where results are strong, and making sure every major spending decision is connected to a clear public benefit.
Affordability Is The Bottom Line
Smiths Falls residents are already facing serious affordability pressures. Property taxes, water bills, housing costs, food costs, and basic living expenses are all putting pressure on families, seniors, and small businesses.
In that environment, local government has a duty to be disciplined, transparent, and careful with every dollar it collects.
A stronger approach to budgeting begins with a simple principle. Before asking residents to pay, the Town must prove it is spending wisely.
Taxpayers deserve a budget process that is transparent, data-driven, and accountable to the people who pay the bills.
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