The Region of Waterloo is having a committee meeting focused on the 2013 budget Wednesday afternoon.

Tom Galloway, Chair of the budget committee told 570 News this is the first of what he calls, “workhorse days,”

In addition to a general budget summary presented by staff, the committee will be looking at, “water & waste water budgets; waste management, where we have some challenges; as well as [Emergency Medical Service] response times.”

Galloway says the regions base budget, without any new programming asks ratepayers for another 2.04% on the Region of Waterloo portion of their property taxes.

However, Galloway said, with the Ontario Works discretionary benefit program, and a few small additions suggested by staff, that increase could get up to 2.54%.

When you factor in the Waterloo Regional Police Service budget? “Just slightly above [an increase of] 5%,” Galloway said, adding both the budget committee and the Waterloo Regional Police Services board will “have a lot of work to do in order to work that down to a more acceptable level.”

Wednesday evening is also the first of two public input sessions. “Six or eight delegations are registered for this meeting,” Galloway said. The second public input session is scheduled for December 5th.

Final budget day is in January 16th.

Mike.McCulloch@rci.rogers.com