Port Coquitlam home and business owners will likely benefit from a stripped-down city budget next year.
On Monday, members of the city's finance and intergovernmental committee (FIG) voted on 39 capital projects proposed for 2015.
And many items from the parks, engineering, operations and corporate support departments didn't make the list, making good on a council election promise to continue to keep property tax increases low.
Earlier this month, Mayor Greg Moore pledged to rework the annual budget process that will see new infrastructure projects put on hold.
He tasked the newly created budget and infrastructure subcommittee, chaired by Coun. Dean Washington, to come up with a new funding system for 2016 that would focus more on the long term.
The 2015 "Bare Minimum Budget" is being tailored to capital items that meet the following criteria: they improve public safety, continue existing work, are committed by other committees and are necessary to provide sufficient work for existing staff.
"I think the toughest decision is to put a pause to certain things," Moore told the committee, adding the new budgetary process will involve "taking a year off" from some plans.
Among the items that didn't make the cut: a $2-million culvert replacement for Burns Road; a $300,000 sidewalk improvement program; a $65,000 traffic study improvement program; a $145,000 road reconstruction for a small portion of Oxford Street; and a $30,000 pedestrian/bike path for Kingsway Avenue, near the Coast Meridian Overpass.
Capital programs OKed for the draft $91-million budget include: $638,000 for bear-proof waste carts; $480,000 for the Major Road Network pavement upgrades; $300,000 to replace water meters for institutional, commercial and industrial customers; $30,000 each for computer server, network switch and software replacements; and $10,000 for a new fire hydrant along the Mary Hill Bypass.
The committee deferred a few decisions due to current land and legal negotiations. These included: $540,000 for the Nicola Avenue extension to Fremont Village and $40,000 for a sound barrier replacement in the 1600-block of Shaughnessy Street (the deferred items will be discussed at the next FIG meeting on Jan. 12).
Coun. Brad West voiced concern about unbudgeted operating costs for capital works while Coun. Mike Forrest said he's frustrated many road upgrades aren't being done concurrently, creating a bigger financial burden to taxpayers.
Last week, city council gave three readings to the 2015 utility charges, which will see no rise in water and sewer fees; but in 2016, staff say council will likely have to dip into the city's tax stabilization reserve to keep charges level as utility levies are set to jump 38% over the next five years.
Port Coquitlam residents can have their say on the 2015 draft budget in February - visit portcoquitlam.ca/budget.
@jwarrenTC
