Nipawin to see tax levy increase by 2.2 per cent

Nipawin will be increasing the amount of dollars it collects from its citizens, as a whole, by 2.2 per cent to fund this year’s budget.

The amount it will collect from the general levy will be $4.4 million, an increase of almost $97,000 from last year.

How it will collect that money is yet to be determined, as tax rates still have to be set.

Overall, the town will spend almost $6.5 million on its operating expenses, an increase of 3.32 per cent. For its general capital expenses – which excludes the water treatment plant – they’ll spend almost $2.4 million, a 33 per cent decrease.

“I think [the highlight is],” said Rennie Harper, Nipawin’s mayor, “the fact that we’ve managed to think a little bit about restructuring, that we’ve managed to keep things pretty tight for this year, not make any huge increases while we get our collective selves together and understand, as best we can, what we might need to do into the future and not make too many changes.”

The restructuring process, which is expected to play out over the next year, has already seen the elimination of the community development department.

“Part of the restructuring was looking at efficiencies. By reducing the department heads, it saves money too,” said Coun. Joyce Watts.

The town’s administration operating budget will be $160,000, a 14.3 per cent increase; protective services $867,000, down 9.7 per cent; public works $273,000, up 17.8 per cent; waste, animal control and cemetery $879,000, up 17.8 per cent; planning $265,000, down 27.4 per cent; economic development $833,000, down 16.4 per cent; and recreation $1.5 million, up 13.8 per cent.

The fire department’s operating budget is $508,000, down by almost $100,000. Coun. Ray Serack said there will be a greater focus on regional co-operation.

“The regional fire group, we’ve brought them online with the budget and tried to avoid some problems in the future,” he said. “We’ve got some input coming from there.”

Council said they believed the 2.2 per cent increase was fair, considering provincial cutbacks to the town.

“I think it is. It’s pretty minimal,” Harper said.

“We lost that kind of money from provincial funding off the top,” Serack added.

Harper said she’s also excited about a plan to switch to a fee-for-service structure model when it gives grants to community organizations, saying that will allow the town to see how taxpayer money is spent. That change is expected to begin in October.

Serack also commented that the budget process needs to begin earlier next year. The mayor agreed with that comment.

Operating Expenses