Councillors will break out the “tax-o-meter” on Tuesday as they start sifting through, debating and voting on dozens of motions that will ultimately decide the value of a property tax increase for 2013.
Presentations wrapped up Thursday night to city council, which sits as committee of the whole during budget debates. All motions made to date to either reduce or add funding for 2013 have been pooled by administration. Council will vote on them, one at a time, Tuesday night.
“We’ve got about 50 motions to debate so once we get on a roll, we’ll probably get through it fairly quickly,” said Mayor Nolan Crouse.
As council votes, administration will add the financial impact of each motion into a program that graphically updates the proposed tax increase for 2013.
Administration has proposed a total 5.14 per cent tax increase, representing a 2.32 per cent increase to the city’s base budget, and another 2.84 per cent to add 38 new business cases. The tax-o-meter will start Tuesday at 5.14 per cent and be adjusted for every motion councillors pass or defeat.
Once the final budget has been passed by council sitting as committee of the whole, it will be sent to city council’s Dec. 17 meeting for official approval.
