County looking for $200,000 in early budget cramming

BY KIRK STARRATT

Kings County Register

The County of Kings is striving to maintain service levels and standards through the 2008/ 2009 budget process.

Challenges, however, include the provincial phase-out of business occupancy taxes, the provincial capping of property taxes and aging infrastructure.

Gross expenditures provided for in the 2008/ 2009 base operating budget total $34,815,100. Although these figures will be impacted through the deliberation process, 34 per cent of this - $11,734,900 - will go toward provincial services, 22 per cent ($7,655,900) to protective services, 12 per cent ($4,098,600) to service partners, 11 per cent ($3,729,000) to engineering and public works, seven per cent ($2,510,800) to debt and transfers, six per cent ($2,194,000) to community development; three per cent ($1,138,300) to corporate items; three per cent ($1,076,700) to corporate services; one per cent ($345,400) to administration and one per cent ($331,500) to council.

Operating funding sources include 83 per cent ( $28,618,900) from taxes, 14 per cent ($4,766,900) from departmental revenue, one per cent ($471,500) from interest and penalties, one per cent ($371,000 from rentals); and, less than one per cent, ($174,000) from fees and services, from transfers to other funds ($135,000) and from area service rates ($78,900).

There is a revenue shortfall of about one per cent ($198,900).

The recommended 2008/ 2009 capital budget includes expenditures of $7,106,800, including $2,745,000 for special or contingent projects, $1,635,000 for municipal sewer, $1,065,000 for municipal infrastructure, $532,000 for the Greenwood water utility and $250,000 for regional sewer operations.

Warden Fred Whalen says, overall, the county currently has one of the lowest tax rates in the province: $0.834 for every $100 in assessed property value. However, he can recall only a couple of years during his time on council when assessment growth was enough to prevent an increase to tax rates.

Assessments capped

There was an increase of about six per cent in assessed property value across the county over last year and this has helped - but the province has capped assessments.

The province also capped education contributions, but Whalen says the municipality is still facing an increase in costs of $209,000 over last year.

“So many cost factors are above and beyond our control,” Whalen says about expenses mandated by other levels of government.

As well, heating oil and gasoline prices have increased, and the 28-year-old municipal complex is in need of maintenance.

The county also has about 140 kilometres of roads to maintain.

“We gave direction to staff April 7, we made a motion, to bring back a balanced budget with no increases,” Whalen says. It remains to be seen if this can be accomplished.



The public pitch for county dollars

The public has had its opportunity to make presentations to Kings County council for consideration in the municipality’s 2008/ 2009 operating budget.

Warden Fred Whalen said no one attended the first public session the week prior to presentations March 31.

Following those, council began a preliminary review of the base budget before considering any increases in services or programs. Budget deliberations continued April 7 and April 14. Council is expected to approve the budget May 6.

The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) has asked the county to assist with the cost of some of its community programs, particularly those that help residents live independently in their own homes. The county made a $10,000 contribution in last year’s budget, and the VON made the same request.

CentreStage Theatre provided an overview of its January 2008 business strategy, “Building a Legacy: 24 Seasons and Counting.” CentreStage would purchase the Kentville building it rents space in now from the IOOF. The organization is trying to raise $500,000 by April 1, 2009. It has $100,000 and has requested $100,000 in total from the county, over a number of years. This is their first request for such funding in 24 years of operation.

The Friends of the Kentville Library requested $10,000 to support its efforts to establish a new building to serve Kentville and surrounding communities. The county provided similar support in the 2007/ 2008 operating budget, to assist with the recent architectural workshop and related planning work.

Council also heard presentations from Kings RCMP, which has requested two additional officers, starting in October. Whalen said this would be the equivalent of adding one full salary this budget year, about $111,000. Valley Waste has asked for a $35,000 increase and Whalen said Kings Transit is seeking a considerable funding increase.



Individual effects

For the owner of a $150,000 house in a rural area paying $1,341 in taxes:

• $406 goes to mandated provincial education contribution

• $356 goes to police and fire services

• $162 goes to solid waste management

• $110 goes to roads, engineering and public works

• $102 goes to corporate and administrative services

• $91 goes to mandated contribution to other provincial services

• $48 covers financial expenses

• $47 goes to community development

• $30 goes to recreation and culture

• $22 goes to other service partners