Cochrane town council was presented with a draft of the 2013 budget during their Oct. 22 meeting, and the numbers indicate that property owners’ taxes could go up 6.75 per cent when incorporating a 1.38 town-wide increase and the town’s 5.37 per cent offer to the International Association of Fire Fighters’ (IAFF).
“The 2013 draft budget maintains service delivery at current levels and includes resources for council’s priorities,” said Paige Milner, senior manager for the town’s corporate services.
A 1.38 per cent increase in taxes translates to an $11.20 increase on a single-family dwelling property owners’ monthly bill. Industrial would see an increase of $41.73 per month, and commercial $42.90.
It is yet to be determined if the 5.37 per cent offer to the IAFF will go through, as the two parties will soon enter arbitration (see page 8 for more on the arbitration issue).
Some of the priorities Milner was referring to, which amount to $11.9 million in capital projects, include $3 million toward a new aquatic centre, $2.8 for an RCMP facility, and $2 million each for open spaces/Riverfront Park and east end road improvements.
The operating budget assumes a 4.5 per cent growth rate, which would garner an additional $750,000 in tax revenue.
Expenditures for the operating budget total $37.3 million, and include a 22 per cent increase equivalent to $1.6 million for protective services (the largest increase in 2013) and $16.1 million for the salaries of approximately 182 full-time town staff, which is up from $14.7 million in 2012.
“Although it is getting more difficult to sustain existing service levels, the proposed budget does not include any new full-time staff requests,” said Milner.
Nearly half of the operating budget’s revenue comes from municipal taxes.
Budget deliberations are set to commence from Nov. 15-17 at the RancheHouse.
People can also view the 2013 draft budget on the town’s website. Dec. 10 is the proposed approval date.
Council has agreed to move forward on a plan to have the community become waste free.
The Zero Waste Framework was brought forward by Sharon Howland, the town’s waste and recycling manager, and is a plan that is expected to mirror the City of Calgary’s 80 by 2020 goal — to divert 80 per cent of the city’s waste by the year 2020.
Howland highlighted five pathways the town must embrace to achieving zero waste — organics strategy, multi-family dwelling recycling, industrial, commercial and institutional recycling, construction, renovation and demolition recycling and events and public spaces.
Howland said the community must consider several options when it came to the zero waste goal, including curbside organic waste pickup and possible bans on plastic bags and styrofoam.
Cochrane’s current diversion rate is between 34 and 40 per cent, attributed to various efforts, including the town’s Roll With It program the work of the Eco Centre.
