Times covers budget
Here is the Times story on the Township budget. A few quick things to remember:
If the Township hires three RCMP officers, and the City hires none (as they are contemplating), we might as well slap a City of Langley badge on one of our Township constables and send them on foot patrol in downtown Langley. It would be, in effect, another step in increasing the police subsidy Township taxpayers give the City. The ratio of Township hires to City hires needs to be 3:2 or better to begin addressing the subsidy.
The tax increase to cover a full-time fire hall is just over 2%. The CUPE contract/staff raises will likely run us another 3% or so. And that doesn't include inflationary costs on supplies or other things.
So, if we decide to go with a 4.95% tax increase this year, we will need to cut existing services and programs if we want to add any police resources. While I have a list of some things that I would be okay with winding down, I'm not sure the rest of Council has got there yet.
And as for "growth paying for growth," as Methinks asked, a 4.5% growth rate (from new development) is factored into the budget (it might be slightly more or slightly less; I don't have my notes in front of me) and is paying for new recreation programs, some capital items, park and boulevard maintenance (as it costs money to service those new amenities), a few new staff needed to take care of those growth areas, etc. DCCs (Development Cost Charges) provide the money for things like park land purchases, road construction in developing areas, sewer, water, stormwater, etc.
This budget is tough, and I am interested in seeing what staff will bring forward as the cuts they suggest to get to 4.95% across all funds.
If the Township hires three RCMP officers, and the City hires none (as they are contemplating), we might as well slap a City of Langley badge on one of our Township constables and send them on foot patrol in downtown Langley. It would be, in effect, another step in increasing the police subsidy Township taxpayers give the City. The ratio of Township hires to City hires needs to be 3:2 or better to begin addressing the subsidy.
The tax increase to cover a full-time fire hall is just over 2%. The CUPE contract/staff raises will likely run us another 3% or so. And that doesn't include inflationary costs on supplies or other things.
So, if we decide to go with a 4.95% tax increase this year, we will need to cut existing services and programs if we want to add any police resources. While I have a list of some things that I would be okay with winding down, I'm not sure the rest of Council has got there yet.
And as for "growth paying for growth," as Methinks asked, a 4.5% growth rate (from new development) is factored into the budget (it might be slightly more or slightly less; I don't have my notes in front of me) and is paying for new recreation programs, some capital items, park and boulevard maintenance (as it costs money to service those new amenities), a few new staff needed to take care of those growth areas, etc. DCCs (Development Cost Charges) provide the money for things like park land purchases, road construction in developing areas, sewer, water, stormwater, etc.
This budget is tough, and I am interested in seeing what staff will bring forward as the cuts they suggest to get to 4.95% across all funds.