Sechelt’s draft $17-million budget for 2016 calls for about a $43 increase on the average residential tax bill in Sechelt, according to interim chief financial officer Linda Klassen.
Klassen laid out the details of the district’s 2016 draft budget during an e-town hall meeting on March 1.
The draft budget earmarks $13.3 million to be spent on operations and $3.7 million to be spent on capital projects in 2016.
Capital projects planned for 2016 include improvements to roadways and drainage, replacing some of the district’s vehicles, upgrading the municipality’s communication and technology capabilities and improving some community parks and infrastructure.
The draft budget also sets aside capital funds to complete a development cost charge review, undertake a water resource centre post-completion review, update the parks master plan and the arts and culture strategic plan, and celebrate Sechelt’s 30th anniversary as a district.
The bulk of the capital funding in the draft budget will be drawn from district reserves while about 17 per cent will come from development cost charges, developer contributions and cash in lieu/latecomer agreements.
On the operating side, the draft budget shows about $1.1 million will be spent on sewer operations this year while just over $1 million will go towards paying back the debt incurred by the district when it built facilities like the sewer treatment plant and the justice services building.
The operations budget also earmarks $534,693 to go back into reserves in 2016.
Property tax is the single biggest funding mechanism for Sechelt’s budget, with about 54 per cent of the total cost coming from taxation. Homeowners also help fund another 19.9 per cent of the budget through the sale of goods and services, which include sewer and garbage fees.
Klassen said a homeowner with a $400,000 property can expect to pay about $43 more in 2016 for taxes and fees in Sechelt if the draft budget is adopted.
“Although the budget has not been approved and put forward, the administration is recommending that we see an increase in garbage fees, so you will expect to see about an extra $5, a little increase in sewer fees, you might see an extra $7, and a little increase in the Sechelt municipal tax, which is about $31,” Klassen said.
The draft budget will now have to go through three readings and adoption by council, which is expected at the April 6 regular council meeting. Once adopted, a tax bylaw will be prepared and it’s set to be reviewed at the April 14 finance, culture and economic development committee. The new tax bylaw is scheduled for adoption at the May 4 regular council meeting.
