Town ratepayers face a 2.5 per cent property tax hike as councillors passed the municipality’s 2016 capital and operating budgets — documents they say continues the continuation of core services, future planning and advancing the municipality’s strategic plan.
At council’s regular meeting Jan. 25 the $15.5 million operating budget, which represents a 2.4 per cent increase over last year, alongside a $7.3 million capital budget were adopted and praised by council. The budget approvals mean average municipal property taxes will increase by 2.5 per cent.
“I would say that council tried to keep any increase in taxation to as reasonable level as possible,” said mayor Ralph Leriger.
“Highlights would include continuing our handibus service, with the addition of having to purchase a new handibus in 2016, continuing our physician recruitment, a slight increase in funding for our library, repair on many of the flat roofs of our facilities … and of course the big one being the Southview road, water and sewer replacement.”
Council had been in budget deliberations for nearly five months and was able to pass the budget two weeks sooner than in 2015.
“It is our most important document and it is a heck of a lot of work. We’ve been at it since early September,” Leriger said.
“Each year we’ve passed our budget a little bit sooner than the previous year before year’s end. We were almost there this year.”
The $5.1 million Southview road, sewer and water replacement program represents over 70 per cent of the $7.3 million capital budget.
The Southview project includes improvements to the roads and sidewalks as well as water and sewer lines to homes along 101 and 102 avenues and parts of 97, 98 and 100 streets.
Council will borrow $2.1 million and use $1.6 million in provincial MSI funding to pay for the project.
A $511,000 legacy project to commemorate the town 100th anniversary rounds out major capital expenditures.
“We do have a legacy project that’s currently in the budget and I believe that is going to hinge on whether or not we’re successful on certain grant applications,” said Coun. Wyatt Glebe.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed on that one because it is fairly substantial at half-a-million dollars.”
Coun. Murtaza Jamaly said council was able to continue to focus on infrastructure without having to resort to cutting services.
“One of the greatest thing about this budget is … we’re really focusing on our core infrastructure work,” Jamaly said.
“We’re planning out to ensure the assets of the community are maintained to the right degree and we’re turning back to some of those core responsibilities, but not at the expense of the key services we provide.”
Overall, Glebe was pleased with the way council worked to see the budget come together.
“I think we’ve worked very well as a team,” he said.
On the operating side, the town will run a balanced budget of $15.56 million.
Recreation and parks expenses of over $3.1 million, or 19.9 per cent of the overall budget, represents the largest area of expenditure, while $2.7 million in garbage expenses represents 17 per cent of spending.
Alongside the 2.5 per cent increase comes a monthly storm-sewer fee and increased garbage utility rate due to increased tipping fees from the landfill that will cost the average household $95 per year.
