KAMLOOPS — It could be years until the damage from last May’s flood in Cache Creek is no longer felt by area residents.
Clogged culverts, damaged streets and flooded homes are slowly being restored but residents are sure to feel another financial blow.
Mayor John Ranta says his community is now going to have to cough up some cash as a result of the flood.
“We’re about $250,000.00 short. Total tax revenue is only $326,000.00 so we’ll figure out how we’re going to manage that. We have to balance the budget because it’s provincial legislation,” Ranta said.
He says the village will likely have to take at least $200,000.00 out of reserve funds to help balance the budget.
Ranta says residents are also likely going to see a tax increase in the double digits but adds that right now the community has the second lowest taxes for an average household in B.C.
“You have hopes and dreams for projects you want to see done in the community and this sets those back at least a year. The Village of Cache Creek may be set back for a year or many more to come. We have had the advantage of having revenue from the landfill over the last 20 years and we’ve been putting money in the bank that should allow us to undertake discretionary projects next year”.
