Warman City Council approved the 2022 Municipal Budget at its regular meeting on Monday, December 13.
With that approval comes a 3.1 per cent property tax increase for Warman residents. It equates to an increase of $6.67/month ($80.04/year) on a home with an assessed value of $350,000.
According to a news release issued by Warman City Hall shorty after the budget was approved, two items within the Operating Budget led to this property tax increase.
“Firstly, RCMP Contracted Services in 2022 is up 12.7 per cent ($140,000) due to a new RCMP contract negotiated between the Government of Canada and National Police Federation,” stated the news release.
“Lastly, revenue from the Saskatchewan Municipal Revenue Sharing program is expected to decrease in 2022 by approximately four percent (nearly $90,000).”
The city’s Capital Budget comes in at $5,059,734. The news release issued by the city stated that the city administration’s “continued proactive planning has once again fully funded the Capital Budget from reserves.”
“City Council is very appreciative of Administration’s efforts to present a budget with such a reasonable tax increase, given the economy and rising cost of living,” said Warman Mayor Gary Philipchuk in the news release. “It’s a difficult task to maintain and improve services for residents while implementing a modest increase; this budget does just that. We feel it is a testament to the dedication Council and Administration have for our residents.”
The news release listed two Capital Budget Highlights, including:
* $3,521,000: Lift Station #3 Rebuild – This facility is currently undersized for the area that it services. During large storms, the lift station can’t keep up. Construction of a new lift station will double capacity and allow the lift station to function without added assistance from vac trucks for most large storms.
* $90,000: Flat Deck Truck & $25,000: 4yd Sander – The City only has one flat deck/sander unit. With the increase of roadways and streets the last 15 years, the time has come for a second truck and sander. The truck will be used for road maintenance during the summer when not being used as a second sander.