Woodlands County managed to get its budget passed right before the Christmas break.
Highlights of the budget include a three per cent increase in taxes, a one per cent increase in operating costs, and $3 million set aside for capital projects.
Woodlands County mayor John Burrows says the County is in year three of its five year economic recovery plan, and the budget sticks to the plan.
“It is continued caps on spending, and trying to maintain a level of service that is being provided at a very low cost and on a tight budget,” says Burrows.
Burrows acknowledges that Woodlands County residents will probably not be happy with the tax increase. According to Burrows, inflation has driven up a lot of the County’s expenses, and as taxation remains one of the County’s main revenue generators, it needed to be done. But, even at three per cent, the County is still absorbing a lot of the costs, rather than passing it on to taxpayers.
“At the moment, we have a rate of inflation that is sitting at four or five per cent, which is very high,” explains Burrows. “So in order to keep up with costs, you have to keep bumping up that percentage point a little bit.”
The County is also eager to get to work on its capital projects. Burrows adds, they needed to get the budget passed by Christmas so they can get started.
“If you do not get the budget passed, it makes it very difficult for our administration to do pricing on projects and really have the guidance that they need to get started on those projects,” clarifies Burrows.
He sums up by saying that County council made every effort to make sure that County residents get good value for their tax dollars.
“When we ask the question around the table, it really comes down to value for dollar,” says Burrows. “What are we getting for every dollar of taxpayer’s money spent? We are very conscious of that.”
Woodlands County’s complete budget can be viewed at https://woodlands.ab.ca/p/budgets.
