The City of Castlegar has unveiled its draft budget for 2018 and financial plan through 2022. They were on display at yesterday’s public meeting which 22 people attended.
The city is proposing a 3.5% increase for residential property taxes. That works out to about $39 a year or just over $3 per month.
The city is also considering a 1% hike for commercial assessments. Chief Administrative Officer Chris Barlow says there are a few factors tied to the proposed increases, mainly the city’s focus on infrastructure repairs.
If the budget is approved the total taxes for a home with an assessed value of $280,000 would be $2,145. Last year the total taxes for an average home was $2,094.
The city began its consultation process for the budget in October when they launched a survey to see what residents wanted to see included in the budget.
Barlow adds he took a number of questions from those in attendance.
The city will tackle some big infrastructure projects this year. This includes a multi-phase repair project for Columbia Avenue as well as fixes for sewer and storm systems.
Three pillars are factored into the city’s financial plan.
One of those pillars is infrastructure management. The city says its their core responsibility to oversee the development and maintenance of municipal infrastructure. Another is economic development. The city says this year’s budget will continue to allocate financial and staff resources to ensure a vibrant and stable economy. The final pillar is community wellness. This pertains to supporting the arts, implementing programs which provide social benefits and developing parks and trails.
