Council, administration holding the line

Many Black Diamond taxpayers will see little change in their property taxes after town council approved this year’s rates.

At its May 15 meeting, Black Diamond Town council approved a 0.0132 per cent increase over 2018 for residential properties and a 0.0033 per cent decrease for non-residential municipal taxes.

With the provincial requisitions, this means the average home with an assessed value of $337,800 would see a $35.50 increase and a non-residential building valued at $520,900 would see a $12.78 drop.

“That has a lot to do with the fact that we’ve put off the capital projects,” said Mayor Ruth Goodwin. “We’re saving and we have no big infrastructure projects. Some years are a little bit leaner than others.”

Council approved its operating and capital budgets for 2019 in March. The operating budget saw a 1.67 per cent increase over 2018.

Black Diamond’s estimated municipal revenues in 2019, excluding property tax, is $355,847.39 while the estimated municipal expenses, excluding non-cash items, is $3,322,631.45, leaving $2,966,784.06 to be raised by taxation.

Added to this total is the Province’s designated industrial property requisition, set at $312.85 and Seniors Foundation requisition at $47,837.59.

Goodwin said with the recent provincial election and no provincial budget in place, municipalities were told to expect the education requisition to be set in September or October and were given no indication to what it would be.

“The majority of municipalities were taking a generalized look at what the increases have been,” she said. “We had anywhere from status quo to three per cent and more.”

Goodwin said council decided to look at the average education requisition rate changes from year to year the past five years, which came to a 5.7854 per cent increase. Council used this to set its education tax requisition for 2019.

“If it’s less than that administration will come back and ask council what we wish to do with the excess,” she said. “If we collect less, then it falls on the municipality to pay the difference. That will be something we’ll deal with after we get the bill from the province.”

Goodwin said if the education requisition was an overshot, the money could be put into reserves to use against the 2020 educational tax requisition.

In preparing for the operating budget, council directed administration late last year to exceed no more than 2.15 per cent over 2018.

Goodwin said she feels proud to have administration and council come up with a lower percentage.

“They were able to whittle that ask down to the 1.67 per cent, which is excellent, especially in an economy and time of year where you see a lot more increases,” she said. “I’m very proud of team Black Diamond - our administration, staff and council. I’m very happy with the way we went about doing both our operating and capital budgets.”

Some capital projects this year are purchasing a plow and snow bucket and used water truck, water and sewer main projects on 4th Street SW, refurbishing highway entrance signs and increased solar capacity and refrigeration overhaul at the Scott Seaman Sports Rink.

With these smaller capital projects slated for this year, Goodwin said the Town is saving for larger projects in future years.

“It’s ensuring we get business done but in a very effective and efficient way and not overspending,” she said. “We have held the line very well over the last five years. That has a lot to do with the fact that we’ve put off the capital projects. We’re saving and we have no big infrastructure
projects.

“Some years are a little bit leaner than others.”

With the government requiring municipalities to establish a five-year capital plan and three-year operating plan, Goodwin said this helps maintain and stabilize spending as municipalities move forward.

“It identifies to residents and council what our established priorities are.”