91原创 Township council shaved a little more off its 2024 budget to drop the planned property tax increase to under seven per cent this month.

At the January 15 council meeting, the Township voted on some amendments to the budget that reduced the proposed tax increase from 7.01 per cent to 6.88 per cent.

Mayor Eric Woodward convinced a majority of council to save some money by moving back the hiring of two new RCMP officers by a few months.

This was the second time Woodward has suggested moving the new officers鈥� arrivals back somewhat, but his suggestion in December to move the hiring back to 2025 was shot down by a majority of council.

鈥淚 did hear the council loud and clear with regard to leaving the two RCMP officers in the 2024 budget, despite the fact that they likely won鈥檛 be filled and will likely end up in the City of 91原创,鈥� said Woodward.

The new change pushes the start date for two new officers back from July to October, by three months. It will save about $114,000.

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Woodward noted that the Township has had difficulties in the past getting the officers it has hired on a schedule.

Township administrator Mark Bakken said in the past, as new officers are graduated from the RCMP Academy, usually referred to as Depot, they typically arrive in October.

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure again why police are being targeted,鈥� said Councillor Barb Martens.

She noted that the number-two concern for people who responded to Township budget surveys was public safety and policing.

Public safety 鈥� including firefighting and policing 鈥� as been rising as a percentage of the Township鈥檚 budget in recent years, according to Bakken.

Woodward has noted several times during the budget process that one of the bigger issues the Township is facing in this budget process is that Ottawa has negotiated pay increases for RCMP officers. The Township has to pay its share of those costs and has no ability to say no. A full 2.63 per cent of the 6.88 per cent tax increase this year is due to that increase in policing costs.

Another fraction was shaved off the tax increase by reducing 鈥� for the second time 鈥� the amount going into a Township capital projects reserve. The reserve is savings for future major projects.

Instead of contributing $5 million this year to the reserve, the Township will put in $4.65 million.

Both amendments to the budget passed.

In addition to the RCMP officers, the budget has funding for three new bylaw officers, and more staff in several areas, including for processing building and development permits, and for increases to snow and ice removal, including from some sidewalks.

Higher inflation and interest rates have been cited as pressures on civic budgets across B.C. this year.

鈥淭his has been a challenging budget,鈥� Woodward noted.

The tax increase will be somewhat higher than those in neighbouring Maple Ridge and Abbotsford this year, but lower than the 7.5 per cent in Vancouver.

Last year, the Township鈥檚 tax increase was 5.37 per cent.