2014 Budget to Reflect Maximum 2.5 Percent Hike
Monday, July 8, 2013 @ 9:27 AM
Prince George, B.C.- Councillor Albert Koehler ‘s notice of motion calling on Council to direct staff to prepare a 2014 budget tied to the Consumer Price Index has been passed but not before being tweaked.
Councillor Garth Frizzell had difficulty setting a budget level issue based on a basket of goodies that include housing prices in Toronto and Vancouver, or the price of milk and eggs in Quebec.
Councillor Stolz wanted the budget to be developed with a 1.5% increase in mind. Councillor Hall rejected that amount “ A 1.5% increase means drastic cuts and it is really going to hamstring our staff.” With that in mind he had Council support a budget document based on no more than 2.5%
Manager of Corporate Services, Kathleen Soltis says the preliminary examination of financial challenges facing the City would require a 5% increase, but that could change based on the matters dealt with during today’s core services review and new infrastructure grants coming from the federal government.
But the Mayor said she would like to see what a 1.5% budget plan would look like, a sentiment that mirrored comments by Councillors Cameron Stolz and Albert Koehler.
The Mayor, Stolz and Koehler supported a 1.5% budget, while, Councillors Brian Skakun, Garth Frizzell, Murry Krause, Frank Everitt, Lyn Hall, and Dave Wilbur supported the 2.5% scenario.
Comments
Here’s a thought, 0% increase or a 10% reduction that the mayor was elected on. Best place to start would be the dead wood that fills the seats presently occupied by the mayor and council.
This is the wolf dressed up in sheep’s clothing.
After all the discussion all that was accomplished is that we will get at least a 2.5% increase in taxes next year, or more.
Its the usual ploy like Hydro suggesting a 30% increase in rates over 3 years before the election, then Coleman reduces it to 17%, and then after the election Bennett states that there will have to be further increases in rates, which will no doubt end up being the original 30% that Hydro was looking for.
Hydro like the City of Prince George, should not be allowed to handle tax dollars, as they don’t seem to be capable of being responsible.
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