Town administrators proposed a freeze on taxes during council's first look at the proposed 2014 budget on Nov. 19.
The proposed $24,075,258 budget includes a 3.2 per cent increase in revenues along with a 3.2 per cent increase in expenses compared to revenues and expenses in the 2013 budget to arrive at a proposed balanced budget for 2014.
The budget for 2013 was $23,329,000.
Utility increases are estimated to make up $516,000 of the increase in revenues. The budget also includes an estimated 3.1 per cent increase in assessment growth due mostly to new construction. Assessment of properties in the community will begin in January.
“As the equipment for the town gets older, such as the street sweeper and some other equipment, repair costs are going up. As the length of the roads (increase), the number of parks go up, we've added a little bit of staff time, so the salaries and wages are going up,” said Garth Lucas, the town's director of corporate services, in an interview following the Nov. 19 policies and priorities committee meeting, at which the proposed budget was first presented to councillors.
Thirty-two per cent of the total operating budget is allocated to salaries, with an estimated 4.1 per cent increase in the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for staff. The cost of living adjustment is based on the October consumer price index each year, which should be known in about a week's time. Last year's adjustment amounted to 0.6 per cent.
The capital budget is proposed at $4,497,000 for 2014. Nearly $1.5 million is currently allocated to street improvements, $1.05 million for water infrastructure and $300,000 for improvements on 70 Avenue south, among other capital projects.
The town is planning to expand the blue bin program from the current pilot project to a town-wide service. As a result, Lucas said it will cost about $200,000 to purchase the bins.
“That is being proposed to do that as soon as we can get the bins in 2014, which might not be until April or May,” Lucas said.
The blue bin recycling program is part of a proposed $1,040,825 solid waste budget for 2014, up $235,685 from the 2013 solid waste budget of $805,140. The town is proposing a rate increase of $1.50 per month on the basic solid waste charge to $20.80 per month.
“Anything we can do to cut down on solid waste is a good thing,” Lucas said.
More discussion on the proposed budget was due to take place at the regular council meeting on Nov. 25. The public can look over the proposed budget at an open house scheduled for Dec. 2 at the town office from 6 to 8 p.m.
The town hopes to hammer out the final details of the preliminary budget by Dec. 9, pending adjustments in the spring due to requisitions from Mountain View Seniors' Housing and other requisitioning bodies.
