The City of Cranbrook is laying the groundwork for the 2025 budget by opening a public survey discussing options to reduce taxes.
City officials says the 2024 budget required a municipal tax increase of 8.32 per cent to keep the same level of services.
The city is anticipating a tax hike of 8.59 per cent in 2025 if the level of service remains the same.
Council has begun working on ways to keep the increase as low as they can.
“In planning for next year’s budget, Council directed Administration to look at what it will take to develop a City budget with a maximum of a 5 per cent tax increase for 2025,” said city officials.
“To hold the tax increase to 5% or less will mean identifying $1.3 million in reduced expenses, increased revenues, or a combination of the two.”
The City has turned to residents for feedback on how this should be done, whether it is done through cutting service levels, cutting services, raising fees, finding new revenues or a combination of options.
“As a Council, we are committed to transparency by being open and accountable to our residents, and by being responsive to community needs by providing greater opportunities for input – two key values in our Strategic Plan,” said Mayor Wayne Price.
“This budget year is going to prove to be one of the most difficult this community has seen in a very long time and this survey and the results from it will help us ensure we are very clear on the needs of Cranbrook ahead of this fall’s budget talks.”
The city is conducting two surveys simultaneously to gather public feedback: a statistically valid survey and a public opinion
survey.
The statistically valid survey has been mailed out to sample 1600 City residents in a way that will provide a scientifically reliable snapshot of what residents collectively think,” said city officials. “The public opinion survey is designed to gather ideas and comments from everyone who chooses to participate.”
Results from both surveys will be used by city council to guide the budgeting process.
You can find the opinion survey here. Submissions will be accepted until Oct. 18.
Be the first to know! Don’t miss out on breaking news and daily updates in your area. Sign up to MyEastKootenayNow News Alerts.
