BY TRACEY DUGUAY
The city’s draft 2008 budget is translating into a 4.7 percent tax increase, which means about an extra $93 on the property tax bill of a ratepayer with a home assessed at $120,000. The increase in city taxes in 2007 was 4.2 percent.
However, this figure may go up or down depending on the decisions made at the five budget deliberations meetings scheduled to take place over the next three weeks, followed by a final vote by city council Dec. 12.
“City staff have prepared a budget with the direction city council set in June,” said Mark Mieto, the city’s chief administrative officer. “We have presented a draft budget that ensures the sustainability of community programs and services.”
Mieto stressed the budget doesn’t represent any facility closures or service reductions.
The draft budget includes a 2.4 percent base tax increase and a 2.3 percent capital levy, which would be applied directly to the city’s aging infrastructure.
However, the draft budget doesn’t factor in any staff, council or citizen enhancements, currently sitting at around $20 million, which are voted on separately.
“I think it’s going to be a real challenge,” said finance chair Ted Callaghan regarding the enhancement options. “In this community, anything over five or six percent, politically it’s a challenge.”
Keep reading NorthernLife.ca for more information on the budget deliberation process.
