Salmon Arm’s mayor and councillors are deep in budget deliberations, looking at ways to address a proposed 4.6 per cent tax increase.
City budget discussions are taking place today, Monday, Oct. 21, in council chambers.
A report by staff equates the 4.6 per cent hike to an increase $18.11 for residences and $51.10 for businesses per $100,000 of assessed value.
Also included in the 2020 budget is a proposed two per cent increase in water and sewer user fees that were approved by council in November 2018.
Read more: Public puts in city budget requests for 2019
Read more: Salmon Arm budget leaves little room for cuts
There is no increase proposed to the user fee for solid waste and recycling.
The budget reflects increases for fire and police services. For fire, $68,000 is proposed, attributed to the training budget. For police services, the budget reflects an increase of $327,000, with $86,565 largely attributed to increases to wages, training, fuel, furniture, fixtures and equipment.
An increase of $566,500 is proposed in the budget under transportation capital projects, and a $134,000 increase is reflected under parks services.
The operating budget for the SASCU Recreation Centre reflects an increase of $32,000, while with Shaw Centre there is a decrease of approximately $275,000, due largely to the retirement of the Shaw Centre debenture debt of $305,500.
Watch the Salmon Arm Observer for the results of today’s budget deliberations.
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