District of Squamish Council met Tuesday to further discuss this year's difficult budget and what each councillor would consider to be an acceptable increase in taxes.
"There will be a tax increase this year," said Mayor Ian Sutherland. "I think it's important that we have a general discussion as to what kind of tax increase we are comfortable with for 2007."
Sutherland then deferred financial consultations with the bylaw enforcement, animal control, and emergency measures departments --- which were scheduled for the day as part of a look at the budget for protective services - until a later date.
One part of the protective services budget that will play an important role in this year's budget strategies is that of the RCMP, which addressed council earlier in the day.
A residential tax increase of 5.9 per cent would be needed to cover this year's increase in policing costs, which are mandated to rise by $750,000. Coun. Mike Jensen said that he would comfortable with no more than an additional 2 to 3 per cent on top of that to cover general revenues, taking the total increase to between 8 to 9 per cent. Coun. Patricia Heintzman and Sutherland both agreed that a tax increase in that ballpark would be likely, as did Coun. Jeff McKenzie who said he would be comfortable with an increase of $200 to $300 per household.
This level of tax increase means that the district would have to undergo significant spending cuts or find new revenue streams.
"I think we have to shave $2 million off this budget," said Coun. Greg Gardner. 'If we take the non-core spending and we take that off the top, and I'm not saying out of hand the is what we should do, that would take us down to $1.3 million we need to cut."
To find those cuts, council will continue meeting with municipal department heads over the coming weeks. On Tuesday, the department heads that they did meet with, those of the RCMP and fire departments, had a series of suggestions as to how the budget could be cut.
"From a front-line policing side there is no area to cut," Insp. Norm McPhail told council. "I am considering holding [back] a vacancy [posting] for 2007."
The unfilled vacancy would be a Staff Sgt. position to help administrate the Squamish detachment.
"It wouldn't have any effect on front-line resources," said McPhail. "It means more work for me, personally. I live in Whistler, my officer hours are in Squamish, and my office is in Squamish until such time that I have this position in place, but I am offering this up to you."It looks like I will be commuting to Squamish for quite some time."
Gardner commended McPhail for offering to hold that vacancy in order to help with the budget.
"I must say that I express my thanks for you offering to do that considering the position we are currently in," said Gardner.
A second area that Council looked at for possible cuts in the RCMP budget is funding of the Integrated Homicide and Emergency Response teams.These are new programs that would see Squamish pay $120,000 towards these specialized units that serve the entirety of the lower mainland.
"Our detachment is taking the position that this is a must-have program, but I understand that there are difficult budget decisions to be made," said McPhail.
In the event of a homicide the resources of the Integrated Homicide Team (IHT), which specializes in investigating those types of cases, would be made available to Squamish. Likewise, should there be serious emergency situation, like an armed standoff or a hostage taking the Emergency Response Team (ERT) would be tasked to help.
If the district does not pay into the programs, while some outside help will be made available when possible, most of the responsibility for those types of investigations or emergency situations will fall on the shoulders of the local detachment.
McPhail noted that in recent years there has been one homicide that the IHT would have responded to, and one emergency situation in the last to years to which the ERT could have been dispatched.
Eliminating the programs, as well as the Staff Sgt. Position, from this year's budget would save $204,000.
While no decision has been made, council sent both of these cut proposals back to staff for consultation.
Fire Chief Ray Saurette was also on hand to discuss the fire department's budget, which is slated to increase by $177,191 in non-core spending in the current draft financial plan.
The increase includes paying and training 10 new volunteer firefighters, a budget item which council already approved back in October, as well as one new full-time firefighting position. The largest new line item is a $53,323 increase in overtime charges.
"The proposal adopted in October also requires additional funding for full members to allow them to respond to calls after hours," Saurette told council.
There is always one full firefighter on an after hours call to run the operation with the volunteers, said Saurette.
