Lethbridge residents will see a zero-per cent municipal tax increase in 2021, but it’s still unknown if Lethbridge city council will be able to secure the same for 2022.
That tax target for the next two years was set earlier this month, and council secured it for next year on the fourth day of budget deliberations at city hall.
As has been the case all week, reductions in all city departments have been on the table.
Council members unanimously voted Thursday to recommend a reduction of three hostesses and four security staff at each Lethbridge Hurricanes game held at the ENMAX Centre.
The cut is estimated to save the city more than $60,000 in each of the next two years, but city staff said it should not impact game programming or the Hurricanes’ ability to generate dollars.
A custodial service reduction was recommended for city-owned administrative buildings for a savings of $282,000 in both 2021 and 2022; with the objective of reducing cleaning service schedules at buildings that currently see cleaning five or more days per week, by two days.
After cuts were recommended Wednesday, the city’s parks department continued to see reductions on Thursday. Council voted in favour of reducing general maintenance in open space across the city, including efforts to maintain water quality in storm ponds, snow clearing and forestry management.
The cut will be implemented by a reduction in seasonal staffing, saving the city $198,500 in 2021 and 2022.
Not all budget recommendations were accepted by city council Thursday, however.
A proposal to reduce core services for the city’s snow and ice control was defeated 7-2, with Mayor Chris Spearman saying he believes the city hasn’t budgeted enough for snow removal in the last number of years.
An increase in user fees for the city’s recreation and culture facilities — including aquatics, arenas, city fields, and school gyms — was also voted down.
And the proposed closures of the Fritz Sick Pool and Civic Ice Centre were both denied by the finance committee. Coun. Jeff Coffman motioned to postpone the initiative regarding the Fritz Sick, and further requested that the city manager prepare a 2022-2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) proposal to renovate the aging indoor pool.
Friday is scheduled to be the final day of budget deliberations, with the next city council meeting — the first opportunity for council to approve of the amended budget — scheduled for Nov. 30. All recommendations made by the finance committee this week will need to be approved at a city council meeting before the end of the year, and revisions are allowed this week.
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