Garbage fee decreases and property tax increases are amongst the items being proposed in the Regional District of Nanaimo’s preliminary 2015 budget discussions.
Garbage and recycling fees for regional district residents could decrease to $122 from $133 a year, according to the provisional budget summaries for transit and solid waste services.
“That all relates to that Multi-Material B.C. agreement – we get a subsidy from Multi-Material B.C. for the recycling cost,” said Wendy Idema, regional district director of finance.
According to the regional district’s 2015 provisional budget, the general services property tax is projected to be $100 per $100,000 for the City of Nanaimo, an increase of $9 from last year.
Property taxes are estimated to be $101 per $100,000 for Lantzville, an increase of $6.
Property taxes for Area A (Cedar, Yellowpoint and Cassidy) are estimated at $155 per $100,000, a $10 raise over last year. Area B (Gabriola, Mudge and De Courcy Islands) property taxes are forecast to be $89 per $100,000, a $6 increase from 2014. Area C (Extension, East Wellington and Pleasant Valley) residents are proposed to pay $148 per $100,000, an increase of $10 over 2014.
According to the proposal, parcel taxes would increase by $1, to $19 per property for Nanaimo and Lantzville and remain steady at $21 for Areas A, B and C.
While it is hard to estimate how much the numbers will change during the budget process, they will change, Idema said.
A review of the 2015 budget took place Tuesday. A financial plan presentation is scheduled for Feb. 10 and the budget-related bylaw is expected to be adopted on March 24.