Councillors during budget deliberations on Nov. 7, 2019 (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Financial planning

2020 city budget expected to pass Monday night

Dec 9, 2019 | 2:33 PM

Prince Albert city council is expected to pass its 2020 budget on Monday night.

The general fund budget includes a 2.9 per cent tax increase, with a focus on infrastructure spending. Meanwhile, the utility fund includes a yearly increase of around $31.80 to $42.60 for the average household’s utility bills.

The budget was finalized during deliberations in November.

Councillors will have the opportunity to make last minute amendments at Monday night’s city council meeting before the final vote.

Contentious topics from November’s deliberations that could be reopened for debate include funding for special needs transit and city beautification.

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The P.A. Community Service Centre, the provider of special needs transit in the city asked council for an increase of $37,409 to maintain current service levels. Despite a lengthy discussion, ultimately council decided that in a year where money is tight, they could not afford it to increase paratransit’s $646,860 yearly budget.

Council passed a motion moved by Coun. Evert Botha to see if the money needed could be found by optimizing public transit. But with that report not yet ready, it’s unclear where the $37,409 will come from if council has the will to find it.

In another section of the budget, council approved $75,000 for the floral displays and beautification in a narrow vote during budget deliberations, up from $50,000 last year. The money will be targeted at improving the look of the city’s entrance ways and the Second Avenue corridor, but several councillors questioned if the original $50,000 amount would not be sufficient.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom