Taxpayers may see a 6.7 per cent tax increase.
City staff presented the City of Airdrie’s proposed 2013 Operating and Capital Budget, on Nov. 5. The 2013 Operating Budget, as presented by Lucy Wiwcharuk, the City of Airdrie’s director of corporate services, is proposed to be $87 million and will cover the cost of utilities, staff and all services provided by the City.
The budget was presented to council for information and council forwarded it to the City’s finance committee for further discussion and recommendations pending final approval.
Alderman Murray Buchanan, who sits on the finance committee, said members will take a close look at the budget.
“Given the nature of the budget and the size of the budget, the finance committee is going to do a scrub down of the budget,” he said. “My sense is we are going to want to get down to the (details) of the budget, given the increase in utility and tax rates.”
The proposed Capital Budget is at $29 million and includes $9.4 million to complete phase three of Genesis Place and $3.1 million for Bert Church Theatre renovations. It also allocates $10.2 million for engineering structures, such as a water supply line, a transit park and roads.
County Manager Paul Schulz said the budget process was difficult.
“This has been one of the most challenging budget years I’ve ever experienced,” said Schulz, who has worked for the City for 26 years.
In her presentation, Wiwcharuk said Airdrie’s population is expected to grow by 5.8 per cent next year. Development activity is projected to be 200 acres next year, up from the 150-acre historical trend.
Residential permits are projected at 1,100 units and total value of construction next year is projected to be $304 million, up from $287 million in 2012.
The budget document states, “the most significant pressures within this budget are personnel costs, cost of utilities and police protection. Cost of fire and policing services have increased $2.4 million or 18 per cent, $1.8 million representing salary increases.”
The budget includes $86,400 for an additional community safety officer.
Utility services are projected to cost $18.7 million next year. The most significant of the utility expense is the cost of water provided by Calgary and the cost of shipping wastewater back to Calgary. Last year, the City of Calgary announced rate increases of 11.27 per cent for 2012 and 11.33 per cent for 2013.
Utility bills for water, sewer and garbage, charged bi-monthly, are expected to cost around $172 for the average user, up from $157 last year, a 9.95 per cent increase.
Airdrie’s finance committee, made up of four residents and three council members, will discuss the proposed budget at meetings throughout November. The committee will make its recommendations and the budget will be brought back for council’s consideration at the Dec. 3 council meeting, which will take place at City Hall at 7 p.m.
