This fall City Council is being presented with a proposed 7.09% tax increase for the coming year. This is an additional 2.13% than what was budgeted for 2024 at 4.96%. Police funding and arbitrated police salary settlement amounts to 1.63% of this additional tax increase. The remaining increase is due to higher utility costs and lower than anticipated revenues.
Last year, Council struck a balance when much work was done to bring the proposed 8.5% tax increase for 2023 down to 4.9%. To get there, myself and several Council colleagues, put forward reductions and showed restraint by voting ‘no’ to many additions.
The reality is that the proposed budget from City staff does not come as a surprise. During budget decision points throughout 2023, I voiced concerns about the cumulative impact these decisions will have on taxes and voted ‘no’ with affordability being top of mind on decisions with tax-rate impacts.
This year’s proposed budget is subject to change, but finding reductions won’t be easy. Severe cuts to our services or further increases in user fees are not the answer.
I remain committed to finding solutions through thoughtful budgeting, avoiding cuts that hurt, and showing restraint in decisions on new spending throughout the term.
