Irricana councillors met for the second time in as many weeks in the hopes of finalizing the Town’s 2012 budget, but did not succeed and will continue the process at the next council meeting on Dec. 6.
During the meeting, each member of council gave an opinion on either increasing 2012 property taxes or maintaining the status quo.
Councillor Larry Martin said after learning neighbouring municipalities are expecting 3.5 to eight per cent tax increases, he would support raising taxes. Councillor Josh Taylor agreed, saying “it is reasonable to expect taxes will go up.”
Mayor Lisa Constantini advised against the status quo, pointing out previous councils had held the line only to have “a big jump because costs do go up.”
Deputy Mayor Andrew Carr was against a tax increase.
“I do not want to see any increase because Irricana folks are struggling,” he said. “We cannot raise taxes if this council wants the town to be viable.”
Councillor Frank Dusome agreed.
“Irricana residents have less money with times the way they are and council needs to keep expenses at bare bones,” he said. “To me, an 8.3 (increase in the) mil rate is unacceptable… Our job is to cut costs.”
Mayor Constantini said Municipal Affairs believes council should be able to accomplish setting the budget in one sitting.
Dusome disagreed, saying council should go over the budget line by line.
“Municipal Affairs did not elect me,” he said.
“Ratepayers did and they have to know that I have done my due diligence.”
Martin voiced concern that the town has been depleting its reserves in recent years, to which Carr asked if any budget surplus is put back into reserves.
Melton said the budget may have items both over and under budget, but should balance as a whole.
Council discussed library funding at length after learning the facility is currently running in the red.
Constantini said the library should receive funding of $21 per capita, rather than at its current rate of $11.50 per capita.
“The library has not sent its librarian for the required training in a bid to keep costs down, but this situation cannot continue forever,” said Library Chair Trudy Whitfield.
She added that 6,000 visits were made to the library last year.
Martin said funding should be lower.
“As Irricana is a commuter town our library is not used as much as one would be in other towns with folks being gone a good portion of every day,” he said.
Taylor disagreed, saying “people in all communities go to work each day, not just Irricana, and they still use their libraries.”
Budget deliberations will continue Dec. 7 during Irricana’s regular council meeting in council chambers at 7 p.m.
