Town council at Monday's meeting. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Budget 2023

Town council approves overall two per cent tax increase for 2023

Dec 13, 2022 | 2:17 PM

Town of Battleford council unanimously approved administration’s proposed 2023 municipal budget at its meeting Monday.

The budget calls for a two per cent overall municipal tax increase.

Deputy Mayor Shelley Boutin-Gervais chaired the meeting, as Mayor Ames Leslie was unable to attend.

She thanked the town’s management team for its due diligence in putting the budget together.

“I know there were probably wish lists, that they wanted to have a little bit more money,” Boutin-Gervais said.

SJHL VS. MJHL

Western All-Star Showcase gets underway tonight

5h ago

Kevin R Profile

Kevin Russell seeks third term as Battleford councillor

6h ago

Typhoid

Pizza in Martensville contaminated with Typhoid

7h ago

She added with the state of the economy now, and the way things are going, it is a challenging time.

“I think the two per cent overall, it’s still an [ask] for people in tough situations. But in order to grow, we need to move forward,” Boutin-Gervais said.

Coun. Judy Pruden said administration worked hard to keep the budget increase down to two per cent, per council’s direction.

Coun. David George thanked the administration team for making it “a budget we can all live with.”

“I believe we put the money where we are supposed to, in the right places,” he said.

Town CAO Ash Alam took the opportunity to note the town will not be borrowing from reserves for any project for 2023.

He also noted the comprehensive upgrade work on the town’s truss bridge connected to Finlayson Island is now 95 per cent completed.

Coun. Kevin Russell said some of the bigger projects for the Town planned ahead include replacing its garbage truck, completing more paving work and making sidewalk repairs.

He said the tax increase is fair, while also considering the ratepayers.

“The ask could have been way, way more… but we also have to keep in mind our taxpayers out there, and keep them in our wisdom in order to move forward with what we have here,” he said.

Council took part in a number of deliberation meetings previously to discuss the proposed budget, and were overall pleased with the outcome.

Following the meeting, when reached by battlefordsNOW, Mayor Ames Leslie said the proposed tax increase for 2023 was reasonable overall.

“I think it’s a very modest ask,” he said. “I know it wasn’t an easy task to fit [in] only a two per cent increase with the state of the economy, [and] with the increase of costs to the leadership team for the Town. But I am glad that we were able to find a way to only increase the minimal amount that we need to have a balanced budget.”

–

Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow