Port Coquitlam homeowners should brace for a slightly bigger property tax bill this year, about $29 more - or an extra 1.49% - for residents in detached houses.
But that number may go up or down before city council agrees to the budget this spring.
City hall has set a deadline of Monday, Feb. 23, for residents wanting to have a say on the $91-million plan, which sets the next municipal rate. Property owners can visit the city's website at portcoquitlam.ca/budget to give feedback on the capital and operating costs.
The draft budget, which was presented at Monday's finance and intergovernmental committee, includes no new hires for the RCMP (the detachment requested at least four more officers) or for the fire department (it asked for no bump to its personnel count).
As well, the budget makes no specific provisions to handle the growth on Burke Mountain.
However, it does call for $2.8 million in upgrades that will be paid for with surplus cash, savings and efficiencies. Last month, council shaved its base inflation rate by $164,700.
About $741,000 is set to be spent on ongoing improvements such as financing for a new recreation complex to modernize the existing PoCo rec centre and former works yard.
The other $2.1 million is set to be dedicated to:
planning, designing and consulting for the new rec centre ($1.5 million);
controlling the chafer beetle infestation on city land ($104,200);
purchasing a permanent May Day float ($55,000);
developing a mobile app for city services ($15,000);
lighting the outside of city hall year-round ($75,000);
and hiring staff to gain advertising revenues for the city ($33,000).
Meanwhile, city council is also looking at $7.25 million in the capital budget for items like new bear-proof waste cart locks ($638,000); a street sweeper ($250,000); and updates to Lions Park ($227,300) and the cemetery ($100,000), where Terry Fox is buried.
City council also plans to set aside $1 million for future land acquisition for park space.
As for water and sewer levies, which council adopted last month, there will be no increases; however, owners of detached homes will pay an extra $6 for garbage in 2015, the first hike in six years, because of higher costs in service delivery and disposal fees.
The proposed property tax increase of 1.49% translates to about $29.44 for the average single-family home assessed at $527,408; $23.18 for the average townhouse assessed at $383,481; and $13.60 for the average of apartment assessed at $258,309.
Last year, the city saw a record 950 people comment on the draft budget, which resulted in a -0.21% tax decrease from 2013 - a savings of $4 for the average detached home.
@jwarrenTC
