Taxpayers in Wells Gray Country (Area A) should see a slight decrease in their taxes this year, according to the area’s Thompson-Nicola Regional District director Tim Pennell.
“It’s going to be very slight,” he said. “I asked all services to hold the line.”
Pennell noted that last year saw some major increases to pay for upgrades to the Vavenby and Blackpool fire departments.
The Wells Gray Country tax decrease was part of the TNRD’s 2011-2015 Financial Plan that was approved during at the March 24 board of directors meeting. The regional district is required under the Local Government Act to have a financial plan adopted by March 31 annually.
Looking across the TNRD as a whole, on average assessed properties within the City of Kamloops will see a $1 increase in taxes; member municipality average assessed properties will see a range from a decrease of $15 (Barriere) to an increase of $6 (Ashcroft); and electoral area average assessed properties will see a range from a decrease of $45 (Electoral Area P) to an increase of $18 (Electoral Area O).
“Tax increases are due to assessment changes, and the introduction of new services, or service level changes,” said Sukh Gill, deputy administrator/director of Finance. “This financial plan incorporates drawing down on operating reserves to the amount of $1.3 million.”
The financial plan represents an amalgamation of requests from directors, service committees and staff estimates of the funding required to continue providing service levels as indicated by the Board. The 2011 financial plan incorporates all program changes, capital items and personnel changes that have been approved by the board since the presentation of the provisional budget last December.
