Financing planning is underway within the Regional District of North Okanagan.
The board held its first 2014 budget workshop with staff Wednesday.
“This is the first of many meetings we will have,” said David Sewell, finance general manager.
“We will be firming up figures as we go through the weeks and months to come.”
A figure has not been established yet for a possible tax increase but the average annual tax hike over the last five years has been 1.8 per cent.
Each community is requisitioned taxes based on services it receives from NORD, and that varies.
In fact, the budget impact can change from neighbourhood to neighbourhood depending on what services are in place such as street lights and recycling.
There will be further budget discussions in November and December and then a draft budget will be presented to the board Jan. 15. After the presentation of a revised document Feb. 19, it’s anticipated the budget will be adopted March 5.
Chairperson Patrick Nicol hopes the budget contents will reflect the fact that there is an election in November 2014 and new politicians could be at the table then.
“If there are things we have worked on during this term, they need to get done (before the election),” he said.
