REGINA -- Yorkton’s recently elected mayor is making good on a campaign promise, to not increase municipal taxes in this year’s budget.

 

The 2021 Operating and Capital Budgets were presented during the council meeting on March 15.

 

"It took a lot of meetings, but we made it happen, so we're really proud of that and with no loss to services to the citizens of Yorkton," said Mayor Mitch Hippsley.

 

He said council felt a “moral obligation” to delve into the details to make this happen, adding council “really challenged departments” to take a look at their spending to see if money could be used in other places.

 

While this year's operating budget does not need a tax increase to balance, there is still a budgetary gap expected because of facilities closed or reduced due to COVID-19.

 

A release from the City states much of this gap comes from the reduced or eliminated revenues at the recreation facilities, and while cost cutting has been undertaken where possible to offset this, certain fixed costs cannot be completely eliminated.

 

Other costs arise in areas that are open to the public through increased cleaning and sanitization.

 

In addition to cutting, the City received $975,000 from the Federal and Provincial Governments’ COVID Safe Restart Program to help offset costs related to the pandemic.

 

The 2021 budget uses about a third of those funds, just under $350,000, to cover the decreased revenues and increased costs. The remaining amount will be held in reserves to cover any other unforeseen deficits related to COVID-19.

 

A previously approved one per cent increase to water rates, as well as the three dollar per month increase to the water base charge, is included in this budget to offset ongoing increasing costs to replace water lines, sewer lines and meters.

 

While this year sees no tax increase, it does see a recreational facility levy. This replaces the decade old Gallagher Centre levy residents were expecting to see lifted this year.

 

"Seeing that it was a $100 levy per year that encompasses about 1.1 million dollars of extra money that we could take and use it in other city recs builds so to speak, in capital projects," explained Hippsley.

 

Funds from this levy will be placed into reserves for future capital projects, such as a new Deer Park Clubhouse.

 

The City will continue digging up roads and re-paving, but no extra money will be spent on capital projects this year, said Hippsley.

 

Although, this budget does see money from reserves being put to use for new projects not originally in the two year capital budget. These projects, like the York Road reconstruction preliminary design, do not require an increase to taxation to complete.

 

The 2021 Captial Budget includes $4,390,000 of funding from tax revenue, the same as previous years.

 

Hippsley said he is “proud” of the way the departments worked with council to find the best approach of utilizing the City's money.

 

"It wasn't as if we didn't want to spend money, we just wanted to make sure we were spending it really efficiently as to getting most bang for our buck without losing any services because that was very important that we didn't do that."

 

The City is now looking for feedback on the budget from the community. Comments can be submitted online, by phone or email.

 

“We want feedback as to what [residents] would like to see,” said Hippsley.

 

The budget will be brought back to council for potential passing at the March 29 meeting.