Coquitlam homeowners will pay 2.64% more in property taxes next year — a hike of $53 for the average home.
Monday, city council unanimously gave three readings to the 2016 budget, which will see taxes for the statistically average home — one whose assessed value is $594,500 — rise along with increases of $9 for sewer and drainage and $6 for solid waste. There will be no increase in the residential water rate.
The $68 uptick over this 2015 rates means homeowners living in a home assessed at $594,500 will pay a total of $3,050 in property taxes and utility fees come July.
And that increase includes another step in council's ongoing efforts to shift the tax burden between residential and commercial properties by 1% to bring business rates more in line with those in the rest of the Lower Mainland. Owners of commercial properties will see a 1.64% jump in their tax rates.
At its meeting Monday, city council patted itself on the back for delivering a "balanced, prudent and sustainable" financial plan, which Coun. Terry O'Neill said is affordable for Coquitlam taxpayers.
O'Neill said the tax increase is the lowest since 2005. "I don't know how much lower it can go," he said. "I don't know how much longer we can continue lowering the rate increase… It involves council being disciplined and respectful to the taxpayer."
(According to a city report, the anticipated property tax rate for the next four years is about 3% annually).
Coun. Dennis Marsden, who worked in the financial sector and was elected last fall on a platform of having no more tax increases, praised council and staff for "delivering on my vision" to give value to the taxpayer.
Marsden said the six new RCMP hires are critical for Coquitlam to keep streets safe, especially as the Evergreen Line arrives in early 2017.
"We will have officers in place to ensure hot-crime areas get the attention," he said of the SkyTrain station areas, adding, "less-desirable elements will be greeted by one of our striped officers and go to another city."
Still, the cost to bring in six more Mounties at $912,000 came at a price as council traded a 1% tax increase that usually goes for capital asset renewal. That exchange means there won't be much money next year to update aging infrastructure such as civic buildings.
Council also withdrew nearly $28 million from statutory reserves to include in its five-year financial plan: $22.9 million from the land sales account ($17 million for a new community centre in Burquitlam) and $5 million from the vehicle replacement fund.
Council also voted in favour of taking $500,000 for a new economic development fund from revenues the city gets as a casino host city, a move Coun. O'Neill criticized. As Hard Rock Casino Vancouver managers sat in the audience, O'Neill said he would perhaps like to see the Tri-Cities' Chamber of Commerce take on the role of economic development driving — not local government.
But Coun. Mae Reid countered that economic development is vital to Coquitlam's growth as it creates more jobs for residents and attracts tourism dollars from out-of-town guests.
Coun. Brent Asmundson concurred, saying council is in charge of approving money from the economic development purse.
Other budget highlights, to be paid out of the planned tax increase, include:
• $424,000 for building permit and development application staff;
• $109,000 for a park infrastructure supervisor;
• $82,000 for cultural group support;
• $59,300 for more bylaw enforcement;
• $22,000 for park waste management;
• and $10,000 for heliport maintenance.
As well, council approved expenditures from reserve funds that have no tax impact, such as:
• $380,000 for senior staff succession planning;
• $200,000 for chafer beetle infestation control;
• $148,000 for cultural and community group support;
• $93,000 for park waste bins;
• and $43,000 to expand hours at Glen Pine Pavilion.
Meanwhile, O'Neill called on the provincial government to help the municipality drive down labour costs as it goes into bargaining with CUPE Local 386 next year; O'Neill said taxpayers believe civic workers' wages are "out of line." The collective agreement with the union expires Dec. 31.
A call to CUPE 386 president Ken Landgraff was not returned before The Tri-City News' print deadline.
Fourth and final reading of the 2016 budget is expected next Monday.
• To read a full copy of Mayor Stewart’s introductory budget remarks, visit www.coquitlam.ca/news.
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Port Coquitlam, which shares an RCMP detachment with Coquitlam, is also considering a request to hire six more Mounties in the new year.
But Mayor Greg Moore said city staff have asked local police to review the cost-sharing formula for contracted policing services with its neighbouring municipality.
The formula is out-of-date, Moore contends, as it is based on factors such as population. "We need to look at geography as well," he said. "When the formula was designed, Westwood Plateau and Burke Mountain development hadn't happened."
Moore said the new formula should also take into account the Evergreen Line, which is due to start operation through Port Moody and Coquitlam in early 2017.
