Kamloops council to consider cuts, new revenue before finalizing double-digit tax increase

“Our staff practices great due diligence and they find those efficiencies,” said Neustaeter, “and now I think we have the obligation to do the same — which looks different in a year when you have a 3 per cent, 4 per cent increase than a 10 per cent, 11 per cent increase. I think we need to demonstrate to the public that we are also willing to make challenging decisions that staff can’t.”

The budget proposal presented to council’s Committee of the Whole last month showed an additional $10.2 million in revenue needed to pay for wage and benefit increases to contracted staff. Those increases alone account for a 7.61 per cent potential tax hike.

Councillors who spoke Tuesday said the public has communicated in no uncertain terms how much a double-digit tax increase would hurt. That has council considering both potential service cuts and growing sources of revenue.

“We, as a council, have to be willing to cut services because that’s actually where the costs are,” said Councillor Nancy Bepple. “Are we willing to have fewer parks open or have fewer police or shut some sort of service down that we’ve had running in the city for 100 years?”

Council is expected to finalize its 2024 tax rate early in the new year after hearing supplemental requests from staff.

by James Peters

Kamloops council to consider cuts, new revenue before finalizing double-digit tax increase

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