It appears that there may be a finality to the town of Kap’s 2024 budget deliberations. Council passed a motion that the ultimate municipal tax rate be decided and passed at the next meeting (Monday, April 8th) in two weeks.
The latest proposal is calling for an 8 per cent hike…one per cent higher than that suggested by finance committee chairman Martin Dinnissen. It accounts for more money sent to public work and asphalt to take care of much needed road repairs.
Mayor Dave Plourde says the budget process hasn’t been easy on anyone, but believes a decision is close.
“Everybody is trying to do more with less,” he said. “It’s just hard. Yes it’s imperative that we come up with a budget sooner than later. You will probably see it by next week. I think you will see a budget passed at the next meeting and we will finally have some clarification on what’s going to happen going forward.”
Town staff was able to find about $400,000 in savings by delaying in the hiring of general manager of public works, reducing cell phone allowances, removing meal provisions for meetings and revoking council pay increase.
Plourde says towns along the highway 11 corridor are facing similar issues that most residents are.
“And we cannot continue to offer the services we offer all the while taking money out of reserves that are there to fund capital works that we all know are underfunded,” he said. “So if we don’t see the increases to these budgets going forward, it’s going to mean less work done on the roads which we just can’t have.”
