Budget items adding up

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: January 29, 2009 6:00 PM

Vernon politicians are attempting to keep taxes from ballooning but items keep being added to the budget. A number of expenditures were included in the 2009 budget Wednesday, pushing a proposed two per cent residential property tax hike to 2.61 per cent (not including fire protection). Mayor Wayne Lippert said the goal now is to find ways to get the increase to two per cent. “I’d like to see it down to that or lower,” he said, adding that reserves may be used to cover some items or some expenditures may have to be removed from the budget. It’s believed fire protection taxes could be five per cent. “We could be looking at over seven per cent (total) that we need to whittle down,” said Coun. Bob Spiers.

Among the items added to the budget are four support staff for the RCMP, including an executive assistance, a front-desk employee and a switchboard operator. A full-time co-ordinator will also be hired for the Police Records Information Management Environment, a program mandated by the RCMP and government. The position will cost $66,000 a year, and Coun. Jack Gilroy says senior levels of government need to assist. “We need to stop the bleeding with PRIME. It costs more and we can’t keep going back to the taxpayers,” he said. Because the four positions may not be actually filled until later in the year, Spiers attempted to have only three-quarters of the $234,000 set aside in the budget. “The taxpayer of this year should not pay for the service he will get. To bill for a service he won’t get is wrong,” said Spiers. But a majority of council disagreed, citing the prospect that employees may be hired quickly and not providing the full cost now could lead to a shortfall next year. “It’s fundamentally wrong to handicap us in the future with a tax increase,” said Coun. Mary-Jo O’Keefe.

Also added to the budget is a transportation demand co-ordinator to organize alternate forms of transportation. It will cost $87,100 in the first year for wages and equipment. “This is a critical position,” said Coun. Buffy Baumbrough. “Transportation demand management fits in with the official community plan and what we heard from citizens.” The co-ordinator will look at ways to get people out of their vehicles through cycling, walking or transit. “We need to have someone dedicated to that part of the official community plan,” said Coun. Shawn Lee. Council will meet again Feb. 4 to go over the 2009 budget.