Town of Battleford proposes two per cent tax increase in new budget

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The budget also recommends an increase of about $116,000 in revenue from utility fees in 2019 compared to last year. Property owners would expect to pay a rate of about $6 more per month on average in total, depending on their usage.

CKOM Staff

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The mayor noted utility rates haven’t increased since 2012. 

“(For) six years that the utility departments have been running at the same water rates,” he said, adding that the increase represents a slight “fine tuning” of the rates.

Administration raised the issue that the town’s utility departments need to operate as stand-alone entities and shouldn’t be supported by the town’s revenue from taxation.

One of the big projects planned ahead is resurfacing 2nd Ave., from 30th to 35th Streets, and replacing underground pipes, as well as curbs and gutters, at a cost of about $450,000.

The town also needs to expand it lagoon wastewater treatment system, an estimated $5.4 million project, to meet its growing population needs. The extra funding from utilities will help cover some of the cost of this initiative.

Finance director David Gillan suggests the town fund the project by using a small amount from utilities reserves and borrow $4 million from the town’s cash reserves to save costs in the long run.  

The public is invited to attend the town’s budget deliberation meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 14. Administration hopes the new budget will be passed at council’s Jan. 21 meeting.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW