Do you support the city's plan to put money into reserves to pay for future projects like Canada Games Pool and Massey Performing Arts Theatre? Do you want the city to reduce the tax increase from the proposed 2.9 per cent hike? What do you think of the city's plan to set money aside this year to minimize the financial impacts of Anvil Centre in future years?
Anyone with thoughts on these or other budget-related issues is invited to attend the March 11 city council meeting, when finance director Gary Holowatiuk will outline the 2013-to-2017 financial plan and council will hear delegations about the budget.
New Westminster city council has given approval in principle to a draft budget that proposes a 2.9 per cent tax increase in 2013.
The operational budget started with a zero per cent property tax, something staff attributes to "an exceptional year for new construction" in the city. The property taxes generated by new construction offset increases related to annual wage increments and additional resources for new services in the expanded Queensborough Community Centre.
It was at that point that council began considering funding requests for items to address workload challenges or new high-priority initiatives. Once those items were either approved or rejected, council was left with the 2.9 per cent tax increase.
Council has agreed to put $500,000 into a facility replacement reserve to deal with replacement/renewal of Canada Games Pool, $200,000 into a reserve for the future Massey Performing Arts Centre and $400,000 into a "rate stabilization" reserve to minimize tax increases related to Anvil Centre in future years.
Council also approved funding for a number of items deemed to be high priority or to deal with workload challenges. These included funds for a public art reserve fund, a dog licence canvassing program, and $54,000 for enhancements to the community energy and emissions plan so staff can focus on six priority initiatives.
"I think this is an important initiative. It is paying dividends," said Coun. Chuck Puchmayr. "I think we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by about 450,000 tonnes a year now. We need to continue to work towards that. I think this is money well spent."
Council also approved a new full-time building service worker at the police station.
Since moving into the building on Columbia Street, staff say there has been little increase in the cleaning services and it's felt that increased cleaning will provide a more effective control of infection and cross-contamination to keep police staff healthy.
"The police building has been in operation for a number of years," said Jim Lowrie, director of engineering. "We have always been a little shy on the cleaning staff in that facility, and we see more and more complaints from the staff."
City council also approved $27,000 in salaries and benefits for expanding the insurance coordinator position from four to five days a week.
Rick Page, director of legislative services, said the insurance coordinator's workload has increased "significantly" in the past three years.
"We have more property damage claims than we have ever experienced," he said. "Similar to our FOI (freedom of information) issues, we have a lot of people in the city making claims, legitimate or not, and each claim has to be examined and dealt with through the process."
Page said the insurance coordinator deals with issues such as people falling into potholes, claims from leaky condo issues and city staff backing vehicles into fences. He said the insurance coordinator allows the city to bypass legal counsel at times.
"That could be one claim that could cost us that," Puchmayr said. "I will support this."
