North Cowichan’s council is determined to keep its tax increase for 2019 below three per cent.
Council instructed finance manager Mark Frame and his staff at its meeting on March 20 to go back through the budget and find $30,000 in new revenue or expense reductions, which would see the tax increase dip to 2.95 per cent.
Earlier this month, the projected tax increase was estimated to be 3.2 per cent, but when more growth than anticipated in the municipality was determined, the finance department had dropped the proposed tax increase to 3.02 per cent.
RELATED STORY: NORTH COWICHAN NOW CONSIDERING A 3.2% TAX HIKE IN 2019
In a report to council, Frame said new construction in North Cowichan estimated at approximately $390,000 was the reason for the proposed drop in taxes to 3.02 per cent.
Mayor Al Siebring said that with the tax increase so close to three per cent, council decided to ask Frame to see if he could get it below that number.
“Three per cent is a psychological barrier, but I think it’s an important one,” he said.
“We’ve had five years in a row now with a tax increase less than three per cent, but we don’t expected to see that again next year due to the financing for the new RCMP building, so we want to see if we can do it again this year. About $30,000 out of a $50 million budget is not much, and I’m sure we can find it.”
RELATED STORY: NORTH COWICHAN BRINGS IN NEW MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE TO SAVE MONEY
Frame said he and his staff will comb through the budget for savings and cost reductions and report back to council at its next meeting on April 3.
The municipality’s deadline for finalizing its budget for 2019 is May 15.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
