By Charlene Tebbutt

Council approves 2019 budget

Jan 8, 2019 | 1:51 PM

Prince Albert City Council has finally approved the 2019 municipal budget following another impassioned debate Monday night and weeks after city councillors first met to review the numbers.

Councillors voted 5-4 in favour of the 2019 budget document Monday, including a 3.9 per cent mill rate increase, which will add another $1.2 million to city coffers. The increase works out to about 2.2 per cent more per taxpayer.

Passing of the budget document was delayed after a motion to approve it was defeated last month, prompting a special budget committee meeting just before Christmas.

The tax increase will vary per household based on the assessment value of your home, but Mayor Greg Dionne said the increase works out to an average of $5 per home. While it would be great to bring in a zero per cent increase, Dionne said costs keep going up.

“That’ll never happen, strictly because every year, the price of gas goes up, the price of energy goes up, the price of power,” Dionne added. “We all run our houses and we know what it cost us 10 years ago and what it costs us today.”

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Local councillors once again gave their thoughts on the 2019 document at Monday’s meeting, with several speaking highly of the overall budget numbers. Some councillors, however, continued to voice their concerns with the budget, reiterating that it doesn’t do enough to plan long-term or support the most vulnerable members of the community.

Ward 2 Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp voted against the budget saying she was strongly opposed to using money from the roadways recapping program to offset the tax increase.

“We bill people for something, and we have to spend it on that,” Lennox-Zepp said. “A budget is a statement of our values.”

Dennis Nowoselsky, who represents Ward 7 also voted against the budget motion Monday night. Nowoselsky, who did not attend budget deliberation meetings in November when councillors reviewed budget requests, said the police budget is still too high for a small city. The 2019 budget includes more than $16 million for policing.

“It’s excessively high,” Nowoselsky said.

Ward 8 Coun. Ted Zurakowski said there was a lot of cutting during budget debate, but overall, the budget supports families and seniors in Prince Albert.

“I wish my colleague could have been here for the two days of budget,” Zurakowski said. “There was a lot of blood on the floor [but] I can’t say ‘no’ to this budget because of those diamonds in the rough.”

Ward 5 Coun. Dennis Ogrodnick said he supports the budget, saying the 2019 document supports local seniors, artistic programs and activities for youth. The budget includes lower transit fares for senior citizens, funding for an arts educator at the Mann Art Gallery and some $170,000 for playground improvements.

“That’s a value statement,” Ogrodnick added. “It’s not a perfect budget, but it’s a great budget.”

Ward 3 Coun. Evert Botha voiced his discontent with the budget over a decision to leave the position of economic development director vacant for another year. Botha said the position is an important one, especially as the city works toward a new regional economic development alliance.

“I really think we need to put Prince Albert first,” he said.

Water and sewer rates are also set to go up this year.

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt