Proposed Budget Seeks 4.86 Percent Tax Increase
If you were hoping for one of Moose Jaw's infamous 0 percent budget increases this year it is not likely to happen unless Council decides they are going to make some major changes.
In the proposed 2022 Operating Budget released Tuesday Administration is proposing a 4.86 percent property tax plus increasing the infrastructure levy $35 per home from $65 to $100.
Additionally the Budget proposes a three (3) percent increase in both water and sewer rates.
The proposed budget increase, if approved, will see the property tax increase of $48.36 per year ($4.06) per month on an average property.
The proposed property tax increase will see the City asking for a 3.85 percent property tax increase for its operations and the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners requesting a 1.61 percent operating budget increase for the police.
The Budget accommodates a $2.5 million decrease in revenue sharing and increased municipal operating expenditures of 2.78 percent increase.
Some of the new initiatives so far announced in the proposed Budget include:
Development of outdoor pickleball courts
Climate Action Plan
Solid Waste Concept Plan
Phase One of rehabilitation of the Fourth Avenue Bridge
Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Redevelopment of Moose Square Park, new backstop at Memorial Field and roof replacement and repairs on various City owned facilities
Phase Seven of the Cast Iron Water Main Replacement Program
The City is set to receive $6,448,564 in revenue sharing in the coming year a drop of $382,761 from the $6,831,325 they received in 2021.
Revenue sharing from the province is based upon a formula of 0.75 percent of one percent of the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) distributed to municipalities.
Regarding the reduction in revenue sharing Mayor Clive Tolley said in the post Council media scrum “Cities never like getting less money than they did the previous year so my obvious answer is I would have liked to get what we got last year and more.”
The Moose Jaw Police Services 2022 proposed budget has already been presented to Council and is requesting a 4.67 percent increase or $498,179 more in 2022 largely to hire three new officers.
The proposed budget has drawn media questions especially in light of the Prince Albert Police Service's more detailed publicly released budget which shows that city is being asked to hire four new officers at a cost of $515,000.
“Our residents have told us that roads and water infrastructure, along with business attraction, are their top priorities, and that the loss of recreation programming has been the most negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” City Manager Jim Puffalt said in a statement.
“This is the third Budget that has been impacted by the pandemic. However, we’ve maintined our focus on our very successful long term growth plans, investing in the infrastructure our residents need and the programs and services they want and need. Finally, this the fourth consecutive year that the Budget hasbeen built on progress of previous years, in accordance with the guiding principals of the Budget Policy and will be presented and reviewed before Christmas,” Puffalt said in the release.
The 2022 Budget deliberations are set to kick off tomorrow at 4 pm.
The entire Budget can be viewed at: www.moosejaw.ca/financial-budget-reports/.
The budget deliberations will be broadcast live to SHAW cable 10 customers and on the City’s web-site.