At last night's meeting - Williams Lake Council completed their review of their 2014 City Department Business Plans. From here, Williams Lake Council will turn next to review the proposed Capital Plan on Oct 30th at 6pm - likely in the Rick Hansen Boardroom
At the end of the meeting - Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook challenged her colleagues to focus on 'actions items' that residents' can see for the 2014 Budget (i.e.: road work), rather than studies like geo-technical work and Pavement Management Plan
This, in turn, led a debate on the topic of generating revenue (property tax hikes vs other methods)
Councillors Sue Zacharias and Geoff Bourdon pleaded with their colleagues to focus less on the percentage of a tax increase and more on the precise number that residents' will be asked to pay for. Councillor Danica Hughes told Council focus on 'out of the box' solution that doesn't burden taxpayers right off the bat, suggesting selling un-used parks for housing and generate revenue that way. Meanwhile, Councillor SPS Rathor pleaded with his colleagues to not get 'hyped' with the building permit stats as he said 'they are one-time numbers' and look at the big picture and pleaded with his colleagues to stretch the tax dollar as far as possible. Councillors Zacharias & Rathor also debated the issue of how taxpayers/businesses are doing. Zacharias says people she talked with don't mind paying an extra $200 in property taxes in 2014, provided there are tangible benefits to those increased property taxes while Councillor Rathor said the people he is talking with say that can't afford anymore tax hikes
City Hall watcher Elke Reiner gave her opinion last night on the Business Plans and what Council should focus on including making use of the former Jackpine facility (Engineered Wood plant) on Mackenzie Avenue for economic development.
I have requested an audience with local City Manager (CAO) Darrell Garceau to review with him individual department plans. Some items do concern me including the $500,000 annual request by the RCMP for a Crime Target Team (4 officers and 1 civilian) for Prolific Offenders. But it is far too soon to say if these business plans will necessarily lead to a tax increase because Council needs to review its' capital plan, get specific budget numbers and begin the budget reconciliation process which will lead to a balanced budget with the specific tax numbers by May 15th - required deadline for local governments to have adopted their annual budgets and tax rate bylaws
Finally - the Cariboo RD will soon start its' budget process including consideration of business plans and a provisional budget by Dec 31st, 2013. Its' first budget meeting is tentatively set for November 29th from 9:30am - 4:30pm in the Cariboo RD Boardroom. I expect input from the 16 Town Halls in Sept/Oct plus what comes from the November 6th Strategic Planning Session and the 2014 Sub Region Recreation Plans from Quesnel, Williams Lake and 100 Mile plus the Central Cariboo Arts/Culture Business/Financial Plans will form the primary basis for the 2014 Cariboo Regional District Budget
Find below the document that I received from City Hall that includes the Draft 2014 Business Plans & Supplementary Requests for City Staff:
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