Kelowna council got a glimpse of what the city害羞草研究所檚 2024 budget will look like at its Monday (Dec. 4) regular meeting.

Council and staff will go over the document item by item during an all-day session on Dec. 7.

害羞草研究所淭oday is the day we talk more at a high level and why we think the budget presented on Thursday makes sense for the city and the citizens of the community,害羞草研究所� said Joe Sass, chief financial officer.

Included in the budget is a proposed 4.76 per cent property tax hike. It害羞草研究所檚 the second lowest proposed increase in the province, behind Burnaby, according to Sass.

If approved, it would result in a $112.95 increase ($9.41 per month) for a single-detached home with an average value determined by BC Assessment.

The proposed increase includes the one per cent public safety levy which was endorsed by council in 2023.

Sass added that new construction revenue will provide additional opportunities in 2024.

害羞草研究所淲hat that means to me is that it is likely that there is opportunity, as we move forward, to rely a little bit more on new construction revenue as a buttress to taxation than we have in the past.害羞草研究所�

The 2024 net tax demand for the city is $190 million, however, new construction revenue estimated at $4.98 million reduces the demand to $185 million.

Coun. Ron Cannan questioned staff about finding efficiencies in the budget, comparing population growth to expansion at city hall.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e got numbers from 2013 to 2023 that our growth was 24 per cent, but we grew by 238 more FTE害羞草研究所檚 (full-time employment) or 29 per cent plus contractors.害羞草研究所�

Sass replied that those percentages are 害羞草研究所榠n the ballpark.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚f you want to build more in the future than you did in the past, the only way you can accomplish that is by growing staff,害羞草研究所� he added.

The city has 114 capital projects planned in 2024 with a total cost of $140 million, which is one-quarter of the total budget.

害羞草研究所淪ome of the capital projects span multiple years as a project is planned, designed, and constructed,害羞草研究所� said Joel Shaw, capital planning manager.

He said the city has ambitious plans over the next decade to deliver on community expectations.

害羞草研究所淥n average the city plans to build 60 per cent more infrastructure in the next ten years compared to the previous ten years.害羞草研究所�

Coun. Maxine DeHart pointed out that Kelowna is in much better shape than many other B.C. municipalities.

害羞草研究所淲ith their extreme taxes and a lot of that was because of infrastructure and not having a plan for infrastructure for many, many years.害羞草研究所�

Kelowna residents can watch budget deliberation on Dec. 7 in council chambers, , starting at 9 a.m.

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