By Angela Brown

N.B. council approves 3% tax increase

Jan 23, 2018 | 1:15 PM

North Battleford City Hall approved the city’s updated general budget for 2018, and a three per cent property tax increase at council’s regular meeting Monday.

Mayor Ryan Bater confirmed the actual bylaw for the tax increase can’t be carried until after the city establishes its mill rate. 

Council approved a resolution to collect three per cent more in revenue from property taxation. 

The city first needs to wait until after the provincial budget is released in the spring, to see how this will affect the municipality’s budget.

“Tonight was definitely a big step towards seeing the city’s operation in 2018,” Bater said following the meeting. “But we do still have to see if there is an impact from the 2018 provincial budget.”

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Bater said last year the city was forced to complete two budgets as a result of the 2017 provincial budget impact, and might need to do that again this year.

“Obviously, there is going to be a new premier by then, so timelines may be altered, but we do expect the [provincial] budget to be delivered by sometime late March or early April,” Bater said. 

City Manager Jim Puffalt said in his report the three per cent increase in property taxes would allow the city to break its long-term cycle of borrowing its debt repayment every year. He added in 2018 the city will see a reduction in long-term borrowing by almost $360,000.

Council previously approved a 4.5 per cent rate increase for utilities – for water, sewer and consumption rates.

There will be no change to rates for the Underground Pipeline and Asphalt Replacement (UPAR) program for 2018. 

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow