The District of Squamish is tagging a zero per cent tax increase to the 2014 budget's target.
Last month councillors told municipal staff they needed to better understand the district's core service level and the cash that funds it. In an effort to soften next year's forecasted 11 per cent property tax increases, council asked district staff to place financing options regarding its service levels on the table. Ultimately, councillors wanted to see what a zero per cent increase would entail.
It doesn't mean it is going to be a zero per cent budget, Coun. Doug Race said, at the Tuesday, July 9, Committee of the Whole meeting. This is just a tool.
Race added he'd like to see a tax comparison that included other municipalities.
I am still not satisfied in my own mind that our taxes are where they should be, Race said.
Squamish's tax rate is higher than other municipalities because the district is on the leading edge of putting money aside for its aging infrastructure, said Joanne Greenlees, the district's manager of finances. Complying the information requested for the 2014-2018 financial planning process requires a lot of foot work, she noted. Staff's report to council listed 19 actions that needed to happen to allow officials to see the work by January.
Some of the work on the long-term financial plan will be delayed, she said.
It also presents technical challenges. BC Assessment data for 2014 won't be finalized, which means all references to tax increases cited during the process will be based on the total tax requirement budgeted in 2014 in relation to the total tax requirement budgeted in 2013. The plan will also not account for growth or other non-market change factors.
The proposed process is more about time than ironing out a solid draft bylaw, Coun. Patricia Heintzman said. She said she wants discussions to start early in order to properly delve into budgeting issues.
If district staff come to council with options, then council will be able to fit them with its priorities, Mayor Rob Kirkham said.
It's a target to work from, he added.
Councillors unanimously passed the recommended process, which will go council for final approval.
