Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas believes the city is doing what it can to relieve cost pressure on residents in the 2023 budget.

香蕉视频直播淲e basically had a couple of weeks or less to start going through the items that were a lot of priorities of previous councils,香蕉视频直播� said Dyas.

What started out as a proposed 4.01 per cent increase on budget deliberation day (Dec. 8) was whittled down to 3.80 per cent by late afternoon.

READ MORE: Kelowna council approves less than 4 per cent property tax increase

香蕉视频直播淚 think we did a good job,香蕉视频直播� added Dyas. 香蕉视频直播淚 think potentially this could be one of the better tax rates throughout the province this year.香蕉视频直播�

Council asked staff to reconsider several budget items, including dipping into reserve funds to lessen the burden on Kelowna taxpayers. The approved tax rate for the 2023 preliminary budget sits at 3.80 per cent.

香蕉视频直播淭his is one pressure that people are feeling right now in regard to this tax increase,香蕉视频直播� said Dyas. 香蕉视频直播淭here are so many other costs hitting our residents, that we felt if there was something we could do to relieve a little bit, it would be a good step for the city to do for citizens.香蕉视频直播�

Dyas added drawing from reserves will give council and staff time to look at what the city香蕉视频直播檚 priorities are going forward.

香蕉视频直播淵es went to the reserves for some of items, but if you really look at what we went to the reserves for it was a few hundred thousand dollars.香蕉视频直播�

The 3.80 per cent increase works out to an extra $86.88 on the average value single-detached home in Kelowna. It includes a one per cent public safety levy to fund the addition of six new RCMP members, four firefighters, and four bylaw officers.

Carryover requests will be presented to council in March and the final tax demand will be decided by council in April.

READ MORE: City of Kelowna staff awarded for being best at budgeting

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on and subscribe to our daily and subscribe to our daily newsletter.