The City of Victoria’s desire to limit a property tax increase to 6.9 per cent this year suffered a blow at the hands of the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board Friday.
In a letter addressed to Victoria’s council, the board said while it understands the inflationary pressure the city is under, it is not prepared to amend its own draft budget as requested.
“The board is still of the position that the budget it has presented is one that meets the legislative requirements under the Police Act to provide adequate and effective policing to [Victoria and Esquimalt],” Doug Crowder, chair of the board’s finance committee wrote.
Victoria council directed staff to rewrite a draft budget to limit any tax hike for 2023 to 6.9 per cent after the first draft budget would have required a tax increase of as much as nine per cent.
That would translate into a $251 increase in property taxes for an average household and a $646 increase for a typical business in the city just to maintain the current level of service.
The police board was also directed to rewrite its budget with that cap in mind.
The draft police budget had anticipated a 9.6 per cent increase in costs to $69.5 million, driven by increased salaries. VicPD also requested funding for seven new staff, four civilian personnel and three frontline officers. Victoria is responsible for 86.33 per cent of the police budget, with Esquimalt picking up the rest of the tab.
In the letter to council, Crowder noted the city has the right not to approve items in the budget, but doing so could have unforeseen consequences.
He said removing items from the budget would “conflict with our legislative requirement to provide adequate and effective policing.”
He did say the board would work with the city to find a solution that would have the least direct operational impact.
Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto would only say Friday that city council will have to decide how to respond — the issue is expected to be on the agenda for a special committee of the whole meeting on Monday.
The city’s updated financial plan also indicated parking rates on the street and in parkades could be increased and proposed spending could be trimmed.
Proposed cuts to the budget include delaying the “Dogs in Parks” review that was expected to cost $400,000 this year, and delaying work on the Beacon Hill Park accessibility study, which would save $450,000. The budget for community relations was trimmed by $220,000, $100,000 came off the solid waste budget and $82,000 off the city’s engagement budget.
Just over 60 per cent of the city’s revenue comes from taxation, while user fees account for 19 per cent and parking fees and fines make up about seven per cent.
Only eight people took part in a public meeting Thursday to offer their thoughts about the proposed budget.
Tom Hackney, who represented the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association and the Victoria Climate Action Team, said they support action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and continue work on the active transportation network and removing oil heating systems from buildings.
Alison Smith, representing the Friends of Crystal Pool, threw a series of questions at the council Thursday night designed to ensure the pool’s future remains a budget priority.
Two weeks ago, council directed city staff to look at budgets and plans for a new centre to replace the 52-year-old recreation facility.
Feedback from Thursday night’s public meeting will be combined with input from an online survey and any email correspondence received by March 5 and rolled into a report that council will consider March 16.
Alto said council has a little flexibility in how to move money around in the city’s nearly $300-million operating budget, but has been clear that the maximum increase will match the inflation rate of 6.9 per cent.
