City of Williams Lake residents are invited to attend an upcoming information session to learn more about and to provide input on the City’s 2024 budget.
City staff, as well as Mayor and Council, will be in attendance at the Gibraltar Room inside the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex on March 14 from 3 to 6 pm providing a review of department budgets, answering budget-related questions and listening to and making note of feedback and ideas for current and future budget considerations.
At the information session, each City department will present their departmental budgets and be available to answer questions relating specifically to their department, capital expenditures, projects and future budgets.
During its preliminary planning, City of Williams Lake Council approved a 3% tax increase, which will be in addition to the BC Assessment valuation change, in the 2024 City budget. This will equal, on average, a $108 increase per household for the municipal portion of property taxes paid by residents. Council is also planning to proceed with an annual water parcel tax increase of $84 per year for all properties, as well as an increase in water service fees of $37 per household for residential properties beginning in 2025 for future capital.
“This is your chance to come out and have your say in what priorities and service levels you would like to see as a community,” said Vitali Kozubenko, City Chief Financial Officer.
“This budget reflects a reasonable adjustment when we started to look at other municipalities throughout B.C. and the rest of the country when you consider inflation and the level of services we are able to provide at the City.”
Revenue collected will sustain current City service levels and operational needs. The proposed 2024 financial plan provided for operating expenditures of $29.9 million.
If you are unable to attend the information session you can share your feedback through our online submission portal at www.williamslake.ca/255/Developing-2024-Budget, email corporateservices@williamslake.ca or stop by Williams Lake City Hall (450 Mart Street) to pick up a budget feedback form.
Following the Budget Information Session, Council will review public comments and its draft budget prior to its final adoption in May of 2024.
When residents receive their property tax notice roughly 55 per cent of the total amount is for services provided by the City of Williams Lake. The City collects the remaining approximately 45 per cent on behalf of non-municipal authorities like the Cariboo Regional District, school district, BC Assessment and the Municipal Finance Authority.
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