The Cariboo Regional District is seeking feedback before it adopts its 2020 budget.
The CRD’s budget is increasing from $48.9 million to $50.1 million, which is a 2.45% increase. It is also proposing collecting 4.5% more taxes than in 2019.
“The board is committed to ensuring that our fire departments are properly equipped and have the equipment that is necessary to do their jobs. The Board is also providing some additional resources mainly around training to Central Cariboo Search and Rescue,” says chief administrative officer John MacLean.
“Emergency planning is also seeing an increase and particularly since 2017 has been a primary focus for the Board.”
While there are a few services seeing notable tax increases, the majority of the CRD’s services are seeing no tax increase or a minimal tax increase to account for inflation which MacLean says amounts to approximately 2 percent.
“In administration, there are some general increases that account for increased activity of the board,” McLean adds. “The Board has been a little bit more active in terms of meeting and things like that, and they have some cost implications so all in all it does end up being a 2.45 percent increase in the overall budget and then 4.45 more in taxes than 2019.”
Feedback will be accepted until March 11. MacLean says the Board will consider all feedback prior to the budget’s final adoption on March 27.