Utility rates expected to rise again in 2017
KAMLOOPS — Council began budget deliberations this morning with a briefing from Finance Director Kathy Humphrey.
The initial tax increase under discussion is 3.23 per cent, and that will rise or drop depending on how council handles supplementary requests from staff.
Mayor Peter Milobar says it’s daunting to think the 3.23 per cent increase would simply maintain current service levels.
“At this point that’s all we’re really looking at doing,” said Milobar. “Not cutting services, not adding to services but just maintaining the current services levels we have. Our operating budget is about 65 million and in terms of what you would think is operational it’s only about a $200,000 dollar increase. The real cost pressures are coming in on those contractual services.”