Nanaimo’s taxpayers could be footing the bill for an eight per cent increase in property taxes as city council members continue their budget deliberations.
A special finance and audit committee meeting was held Friday, Dec. 1, and after starting the day with a projected 6.6-per cent property tax increase, a series of votes bumped that up.
“Just a reminder, we are still waiting for updated rates for all of our extended health benefits, pension rates, EI and CPP, so those rates will be included for [the] final as we won’t have time to include those for [the] provisional budget,” said Laura Mercer, city director of finance.
The projected tax increases don’t include business cases for some pending large expenses, such as the city’s RCMP contract, the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation, the budget for snow and ice control, the breakfast meal program, and downtown event grants.
Council members voted to hire seven additional staff to maintain city services. The additional positions include an assistant manager of procurement, a police services executive assistant, a client support technician, community development clerk, emergency vehicle mechanic, fleet generator technician, and a natural area technician. Council voted to hire all seven positions for a 0.92-per cent increase in property taxes for 2024.
Other positions added include a fire clerk to support Nanaimo Fire Rescue and the Vancouver Island Emergency Response Academy firefighter training facility, and a full-time transit planning specialist position was also added to manage public transit stop amenities.
Council opted to not add funding to create a second Car 54 RCMP mental health liaison team.
“We can’t tell the RCMP where to put their positions,” said Coun. Sheryl Armstrong. “We can highly recommend we would like to see it as mental health or school liaison … but there’s nothing in the contract that makes them have to do that.”
The committee also voted against adding an annual allocation to the budget to support new city positions, which would have increased property taxes by 0.5 per cent starting in 2025.
Council voted to add $518,000 to the 2024 budget for eight new pickleball courts, to be funded from general revenue, representing a 0.38-per cent tax increase.
Coun. Erin Hemmens asked if the creation of the new pickleball courts would mean the shutdown of “these troublesome ones that we’re hearing about from residents,” and Richard Harding, general manager of parks, recreation and culture, said the pickleball courts would be a “new build” at Beban Park and shutting down troublesome courts would be staff’s recommendation.
Natural grass sports fields will not get lighting in 2024 that would have cost $500,000. The committee voted to have the item brought back for consideration in 2025 when additional provincial grant money may also be able available to help offset costs.
Mercer pointed out that the items council made decisions on Friday are only part of forming the provisional budget and there are many changes that can influence the final budget which will be presented in March.
A budget-focused e-town hall meeting will be held Monday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m., at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.
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