**UPDATE: "Please note that thanks to the March 27th funding announcement from CityWest, the proposed tax increase has been reduced from 15.7% to 13.4% after accounting for new revenues.
Our Budget Simulation Tool has been updated to account for this change, but the Budget Document will still retain the draft increase.
This year’s draft budget now includes a proposed 13.4% increase to the tax rate for all non-capped rates in order to retain the community's existing level of service. Staff understand that in Prince Rupert and beyond, we are experiencing a period of increased inflation, driven by factors outside municipal control.
Knowing that our residents and businesses are feeling these impacts across all different categories of their budgets, every effort has been made to keep the recommended increase to the tax rate to only what is necessary to maintain services at existing levels."
As we outlined earlier today, the CityWest announcement, is one that normally would be considered a distribution payment towards loan repayments on an outstanding loan from the days of the Monarch Cable purchase which set CityWest off on their now expansive ways.
The City's engagement portal Rupert Talks offers more information on the 2023 Budget process and includes your opportunity to provide comment towards the city's evolving plan for taxation, spending and provision of civic services.
Residents will also have two opportunities to offer guidance in person, with two Budget engagement sessions to come as part of the Regular City Council Sessions of April 11 and 24.
More notes on the Civic Budget process can be reviewed from our archive page here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
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