All three councils are convening Monday night for to pass COVID-era budgets and set the 2020 municipal tax rates.
By law, all municipalities in B.C. must have their budgets passed by May 15
In February, District of West Vancouver council members had largely settled on a 4.35 per cent tax increase for the next year. But before they gave the budget bylaw final approval, finance staff warned last month that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to put a major dent in the district’s finances.
On Monday night, West Van council will vote on whether to adopt a revised budget that carries with it a two per cent increase to cover increasing costs of essential services, but doesn’t put any money aside for replacing aging infrastructure or implementing the district’s climate change goals.
For the owner of a single-family home assessed at the district average of $2.844 million, the district calculates the municipal portion of property taxes will go up by $96.
Because of the pandemic and tight timeline, the district is asking residents to not attend Monday’s meeting in person. People who want to sound off to council before the budget is passed are asked to email [email protected].
The City of North Vancouver, similarly, is looking to chop some proposed spending. In January, council was considering a 4.58 per cent property tax increase but now, they too are set to vote a on a two per cent increase Monday night. It covers increases in operating costs but puts aside nothing for infrastructure or new spending,
The city is only taking online comment on the budget via its [email protected] or letstalk.cnv.org/financialplan2020 no later than 4 p.m.
On March 9, District of North Vancouver council settled on its usual three per cent increase (two per cent for rising capital costs, one per cent for infrastructure). DNV council will hold a special meeting Monday to formally adopt the 2020 budget.
