Rec centres, tax burden dominate Edmonton city budget hearing

City council was pulled in polarizing directions Thursday at a public hearing ahead of upcoming budget deliberations, as some speakers called for frugality while others pleaded for debt-funded spending to fill service gaps.
Over 170 people registered to speak at a hearing for citizens and groups to give council feedback ahead of their budget deliberations that will set city spending and property taxes for the next four years.
West-end residents came out in force to speak out in favour of funding