Estevan city council has given the green light for city’s 2020 financial plan.
Council approved the budget at Monday night’s meeting. For the second straight year, the budget does not include a property tax increase, meaning that taxes have gone up one per cent in the last three years.
But there is a six per cent increase for the water consumption rate, which takes effect July 1.
City manager Jeff Ward noted the city did receive a few comments from the public regarding the budget. One person applauded the city for its efforts to reduce the long-term debt and the net debt. Another voiced opposition to the six per cent consumption rate increase.
And a third wanted to know how the police budget compares with other municipalities in terms of being a percentage of the budget.
The budget document was released publicly in January and was available for comment since then.
Among the highlights in this year’s budget are the expansion of the Estevan Police Service building and the resurfacing of Souris Avenue South from Fourth Street to Perkins Street, a project being cost-shared with the provincial government.
This week’s edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
