At this point in the budgeting process it looks like Keremeos residents should expect a 2 per cent increase in their taxes.
It’s early days yet, but a preliminary operating budget discussion Monday night at Keremeos council suggests taxes will rise to stay in line with inflation (Consumer Price Index).
Although it was just the first of several discussions that will take place before a budget is passed this spring it was decided that most likely user fees will not be changed.
A change in the village’s current Grant-In-Aid program will mean that the donations category of the budget will need to increase. The village put in a regulation that a group cannot receive grant-in-aid year-after-year.
The operating budget is expected to include transfers to reserves as follows: the economic/business development reserve, $7,250; the equipment replacement/repair reserve for $30,000; road works for $16,646; columbarium purchase for $2,000; building repairs for $15,000; election expenses for $2,500; and water, sewer and general fund capital project reserve for $75,000.
The final operating and preliminary Special and Capital Works budgets will come to council at the Feb. 19 meeting.