West Vancouver homeowners may see their property taxes rise by 1.74 per cent this year if the district's proposed budget is adopted by council - which could happen as early as Feb. 13.
The proposed budget was engineered with a bleak global forecast in mind, according to the district's chief financial officer Nina Leemhuis, who presented the budget to council Monday.
The budget includes a three-year forecast and calls for a business case-study of each item costing more than $50,000.
"I think that's a huge step forward," said Mayor Michael Smith of the protocol.
If approved, West Vancouver's operating budget would be slashed by $500,000 compared to last year, due mainly to a reduction in staff hours and operating resource requirements.
Environmental services are among the hardest hit in the budget. The proposal allocates $140,006 for environmental services in 2012. The figure is down from $158,903 earmarked for environmental services in 2010.
Library services also take a hit in the proposed budget, facing a cut of 4.5 per cent from 2011.
The budget anticipates district revenues rising by $2.2 million in 2012, due chiefly to a nearly 17 per cent increase in money generated from fees for licences and permits.
Inspection permits are poised to shoot up by 15 per cent in 2012. The price of a business licence would rise by 4.5 per cent under the new budget.
The district is also expected to benefit from a boost in property taxes on new construction.
Salaries and benefits for mayor and council totaled $335,087 in 2011. That number is slated to be slashed in 2012, with mayor and council's salaries dropping to $258,020.
Despite the belt-tightening, the tentative budget allocates $572,465 for artificial turf in 2012.
The police department sees a bump of 3.3 per cent in its operating budget.
Fire services receive a boost of nearly 4.7 per cent. The biggest beneficiary of the proposed budget is the planning, lands and permits department, which will see its operating budget hiked by 8.4 per cent.
Included in the budget is the goal of establishing a new district website, which would come with an estimated price tag of $125,000.
Another goal for 2012 is to begin fundraising to restore Hollyburn Lodge once it becomes municipal property.
The district's legal costs are expected to rise to $280,186 this year, an increase of nearly 12 per cent from 2011. Leemhuis attributed this to severance requirements.
Mayor and council declined to ask questions following the presentation.
"Just because we're silent doesn't mean we don't have questions," said Coun. Bill Soprovich, who stated he wanted to hear from West Vancouver residents about the proposal.
Members of the community can voice their questions and concerns about the budget during an open house scheduled for Feb. 1 in the Welsh Hall at West Vancouver Memorial Library.
An open finance meeting is scheduled for Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. at municipal hall.
The proposed budget is scheduled to return to council Feb. 6.
The 2012 budget is available on the District of West Vancouver website at www.westvancouver.ca.
