Administration is proposing a “status quo” budget with a 4.37 per cent tax increase for 2015, along with a bump of 19.71 per cent to the town’s water rates.
The proposed increase, which council will vote on during its first meeting of the new year, would equate to an $87.64 increase to a house assessed at $750,000. For a commercial property assessed at $6 million, the increase would be $3,572.
“We have not proposed any new services nor have we reduced any of the services—really it’s status quo,” said Alice Lettner, the municipality’s director of finance, during the Dec. 2 council meeting. “I believe that [municipal] directors have assessed their budgets and their requirements accurately, with recognition that it does have an impact on ratepayers, but also that the services we are currently providing appear to be the ones that our ratepayers are asking for.”
Lettner explained that administration approached the 2015 budget with council’s new Strategic Priorities in mind and that the major focus of the financial document is addressing aging infrastructure.
It’s that infrastructure that is responsible for the substantial increase to the town’s water rates.
Jasper’s waterlines and valves are in dire need of replacement and maintenance—as was made especially clear this year when the municipality responded to 11 emergency valve replacements and, in turn, was unable to complete the five that it had scheduled.
To catch up with the rapid deterioration of the town’s infrastructure, the municipality is putting funds in the budget for replacement and maintenance and, in the long term, it is creating an asset management plan that will assist the municipality in prioritizing its efforts.
But it’s not just the town’s waterlines that need maintenance. The Jasper Activity Centre—the town’s flagship facility—is aging, as well.
“Really we’ve tried to hold the line on any of the increases, with the exception of the municipal water system and the culture and rec facility, both of those components have aged beyond their service life,” explained Mark Fercho, chief administrative officer.
“There’s major maintenance items that need to be tackled this year,” said Lettner of the facility.
“We would like to do a thorough review of that facility so that we have a mini fixed asset management plan going forward.”
In order to make those repairs and create that plan, the culture and rec department is requesting a transfer of $167,500 to its restricted funds. Those funds would go toward automatic door openers, updates to the fire protection system, a new Zamboni, flooring in the old daycare, the replacement of chiller gaskets in the arena, roof top unit replacements, heat exchangers in the activity centre, water filtration for the arena ice making system and washroom cubicles.
Also in the budget is a line item that’s unique to Jasper: land rent.
This year, that item—which also includes land use, planning and development services and is paid out to Parks Canada—increased by $15,200 to a total of $623,005. That equates to 9.1 per cent of the municipal tax envelope. In other words, for every $1,000 collected in taxes, $91.14 is paid out to Parks.
That makes land rent the third largest financial commitment for taxpayers, coming in after roads and public works ($173.20 for every $1,000 collected) and general administration ($124.81 for every $1,000 collected).
The municipality and Parks are currently working together on a review of land use, planning and development. That review could result in the municipality taking over those responsibilities, in turn reducing Parks’ annual fee.
In 2013, administration proposed a 6.38 per cent budget increase, which was later reduced to 2.05 per cent through cuts by both council and administration.
Included in the cuts was the $50,000 earmarked for an administrative assistant for the municipality’s chief administrative officer. The rationale for cutting the position and the funds—despite the fact that the CAO admitted he could use the help—was that there was no available office space for such a person.
Despite that argument, an administrative assistant is again being proposed, with a start date of May 2015. The position would help with administrative duties and legislative work, and provide opportunities for cross-training to ensure succession when senior staff members retire.
Each municipal department will present its budget to council and the public during two special council meetings scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16 and Wednesday, Dec. 17.
Tuesday’s meeting will have representatives from the culture and rec and operations departments and will take place at the Jasper Activity Centre, while Wednesday’s meeting will hear from protective services, community and family services and administration and finance. That meeting will take place in the Emergency Services Building.
The proposed budget is available on the municipality’s website.
