Coquitlam residents got a glimpse this week of the property tax increase they might be facing in 2018.
Maintaining current service levels would mean a 1.13% rise in rates for the average homeowner, with the additional $1.5 million in net revenue being used to cover annual contractual increases and inflationary adjustments.
But the status quo is unlikely as city department heads made 29 new funding requests during budget deliberations Tuesday and Wednesday that finance and technology general manager Michelle Hunt said could push the property tax rate increase closer to 3%.
Utility rates, which come from Metro Vancouver and are not controlled by the city, will also change in the new year — and not only for the worse.
According to Coquitlam’s engineering and public works department, water levies are expected to decrease overall by 4.7%, although owners of multi-family units will be the main beneficiaries of the drop. For example, the average single-family homeowner will not see an increase and will pay the same $475 in 2018 that was charged in ’17. Owners of townhouses and condos will see a rate decrease of $38, from $399 to $361.
Meanwhile, sewage and drainage levies are expected to increase 3% in 2018, taking the average fee from $417 to $429, while homeowners on the city’s solid waste collection system will see a 7% increase, raising the rate to $323.
In 2018, the city’s base operating budget is expected to be $252.6 million, with the majority of the money going to:
• police (15%): $36.8 million;
• fiscal and city administration (14%): $36.3 million;
• fire services (11%): $26.2 million;
• parks, rec and culture (10%): $25.6 million;
• and engineering and public works (9%): $23.5 million.
BUDGET REQUESTS
If each of the 29 new budget requests put forward by the city’s general managers this week are approved, it would cost $2.7 million. While some of the money is for capital costs, the majority would go to adding staff.
For example, the Coquitlam RCMP detachment said it needs $201,400 to hire three municipal employees who would free up frontline officers to work primarily on social issues with the Community Response Team.
Coquitlam Fire/Rescue is requesting a full-time field trainer at a cost of $144,800 and a new assistant chief at a cost of $157,000. The hires, according to Fire Chief Wade Pierlot, would help the department keep pace with demand and ensure training coverage is provided seven days a week.
The Planning and Development Services division is looking for an additional $568,900 to hire a handful of new staff members, including a business services manager, a building permit plans examiner, two systems analysts and a social planner. The money, said development services director George Fuji, would be used to speed the development application process.
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services is seeking $781,500 in new funding for staff, including $166,500 for a person who would oversee sports and tournament support. General manager Raul Allueva told council the city has seen a significant increase in the number of events it hosts each year, requiring additional resources.
The parks department is also looking for $109,300 to support the annual Canada Day festival, Kaleidoscope Arts Festival and Summer Concert Series, with the money being used to help draw more crowds as well as improving waste management and security at the events. Another $42,000 is needed to keep the Coquitlam In Bloom program, while $70,100 was requested for chafer beetle remediation.
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