Port Alberni city council has suggested a few changes to this year’s budget that could bring the proposed tax increase down to less than 10 percent.
Council chambers was almost standing room only during a Monday, March 4 committee of the whole meeting, where Port Alberni city council was scheduled to discuss the 2024-2028 financial plan. A few residents took turns approaching the microphone and expressing their opposition to the city’s proposed 16.86 percent tax increase for homeowners.
READ MORE: Port Alberni unveils double-digit tax increase in first look at 2024 budget
One speaker called the proposed tax increase an “insult” and said it’s going to lead to more homelessness in the city.
Another speaker, Mike Gosselin, said the city has a “spending problem” and seems to be spending much more than it is bringing in for revenue.
“These are tough decisions, but somebody’s going to have to cut something,” he said. “This is not doable.”
A third speaker, Mary Rose, said she moved to Port Alberni a few years ago because it was an affordable city. Although she can afford the tax increase, she says she worries about seniors and new homeowners who will be feeling the crunch.
“The cost of living has gone up way too much,” she said. “People can barely afford food to put on their tables.”
After the input from the public, Mayor Sharie Minions made a few recommendations to help bring the budget down this year. Last month, property owner Randy Brown paid more than $134,000 in bylaw ticket fees for his trailer park on Fourth Avenue. Minions recommended taking that revenue and using it to reduce spending in the bylaw department for 2024.
READ MORE: Owner removes trailers from illegal trailer park in Port Alberni
Minions also recommended funding a few capital projects through a combination of the province’s Growing Communities Fund, gas tax funds and the Community Forest reserve, and asked city staff to explore changing the fire department’s fueling practice—supporting the local Co-op instead of replacing the department’s fueling station (at a cost of $40,000).
“Most local governments purchase their fuel from cardlock Co-ops,” she said. “Those Co-ops contribute back to municipalities and back to communities through various forms.”
Minions then recommended removing $30,000 from the budget for McLean Mill capital projects and pushing the replacement of tables and chairs for Glenwood Centre to 2025, instead.
“I think they’re important, just unfortunately not in the budget year we have right now,” said Minions.
She said that all of these recommendations, if adopted by council during the next regular meeting on March 11, would reduce this year’s tax increase by approximately seven percent.
“I think we’re getting down to an amount that is still high, but more reasonable,” said Minions. “But I think it’s not a long-term, sustainable plan and we all have to recognize that.”
She suggested that after budget discussions, the city should start evaluating service levels in all departments, to see if they are really areas where the city wants to prioritize tax funds.