His first budget (2011) was balanced with no increase in taxes. A planned TTC hike was cancelled after Ford objected to it. In 2013, the city budget increased to $9.4 billion for and $2.27 billion for capital projects. The 2013 budget did not use surplus monies to balance the budget. Before the 2014 budget, Ford's office staff was shrunk and his responsibilities and committee controls were reduced.