The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) wrapped up its first round of budget talks this week.
According to the financial plan overview and update, presented by SCRD chief financial officer Tina Perreault, preliminary overall taxation may rise $448,506, or 2.46 per cent from last year; however, based on the first round talks, that number has increased.
“What was decided in the last couple of days has increased the numbers a couple of per cent,” said Frank Mauro, director for Egmont and Pender Harbour, and chair of the corporate and administrative services committee. The final taxation amount will be established before final adoption in March.
The residential tax increase percentages breakdown is: Area A 2.79, Area B 1.26, Area D 2.9, Area E 3.46, Area F 2.15, District of Sechelt 3.72, Town of Gibsons 3.3 per cent and SIGD 3.79.
Certain projects, including solid waste initiatives like the organics diversion strategy and some water projects, have been left out of the first round.
“These things are unfolding concurrently to our budgeting process. It’s not a normal thing that we’ve had in the past, where we’ve made these types of policy decisions prior to getting into this level of the budget discussions,” said Janette Loveys, the SCRD’s chief administrative officer.
Background reports cited changes in assessments, the impact of the Transit expansion project, rural areas funding for the Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Organization, and base budget changes as notable factors impacting preliminary taxation numbers.
Major budget items include water services, fire protection service upgrades, ports, and fitness equipment upgrades. “There isn’t a lot of new spending. We have to focus on our strategic plan and our core services and I think we’ve done that,” said Mauro.
The final budget is subject to change as approvals are made and stakeholder requests are incorporated. The second round of budget talks will take place March 5 and 6 and will be adopted by the SCRD board in the spring.
