The city has tentatively reduced the expected tax increase from 1.44 per cent to 1.219 per cent for 2019.
The city will finalize its tax increase by Monday, said Senior Administrative Officer Sheila Bassi-Kellett Dec. 5.
The city started with an anticipated $427,000 worth of tax increases. After days of late night deliberations, councillors have cut and added positions removing $67,280 from its expected tax increase.
Councillors conducted a line-by-line reading of the incoming budget. By Monday, administration will have a concrete calculation of an anticipated impact that cuts made through budget deliberations will have on taxpayers.
The city made some of the following changes to the budget:
- Removed climbing program coordinator ($83,600)
- Changed safety office program to a two year term with no net change
- Removed, then reinstated a library assistant position ($83,600)
- Cut an additional Park's casual employee position worth .57 person-years ($32,100)
- Cut a fieldhouse booking clerk position ($22,380)
- Cut $11,000 from Street Outreach
- Allocated $50,000 to address social issues stemming from the Day Shelter to an interfund (financial transaction occurring between two funds within the same government institution that are generally not included in its annual financial statements).
The numbers will not be final until Monday, when councillors vote whether to approve the budget with this weeks' changes.