Preliminary numbers suggest that Keremeos residents will be looking at about a 2.5 per cent increase on their municipalportion of their taxes.
A report given to Keremeos council Monday outlines that the impact to the average homeowner (assessed value of $226,491)would be approximately $28 per year.
Mayor Manfred Bauer said the increase might not be that high when one considers growth and other factors and is reasonablewhen considering neighbouring municipalities like Penticton are looking at a 5 per cent increase because of lower increases inthe past.
“A 2.5 per cent increase is very realistic. When the CPI (inflation rate) is 1.9 per cent we can’t go lower than that or we’ll be introuble like other municipalities that are looking at 5 per cent,” he said.
A list of capital projects was received by council as part of the report on the budget Monday night.
Some of the projects included in this year’s budget are:
Roadwork on 11th Avenue between 8th and 9th streets, $75,000; portable generator, $7,020; park playground upgradefunded by partial grant, $51,000; dike vegetation remediation, $10,000; work to make public works buildings more energyefficient, $8,800.
Special projects were also identified and include:
Park washroom access, $8,254; exploratory dig at public works yard to check on piping and remove grate, $7357; assetmanagement risk assessment (partial grant funding), $20,000; electronic filing system, $5,000; council chamber desk,$3,000; Liquid Waste Management Plan Phase III, $50,000.
The Liquid Waste Management Plan Phase III is expected complete in 2017. The plan will provide a recommendation for thebest path forward for the aging infrastructure. Final costing will be brought forward to council at a future meeting.
A review and public input session will be held on the budget on April 3 during the council meeting.