Murray Wood: Who's hot and who's not
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Saskatoon taxpayers look set to be forking over more cash for less service in 2018.
A preliminary report headed to council Monday outlines various pressures on the city’s books.
Saskatoon’s coffers are expected to be about $6.1 million lighter in 2018 due to lost revenue-sharing from the province, including the ongoing effect of the cut to the grants-in-lieu program made in this year’s provincial budget.
Inflation is also expected to eat up about $5.9 million across all city departments, excluding police.
The report notes the Saskatoon Police Service’s preliminary estimates anticipate a need for about $3.1 million in extra funding.
Overall, administration is projecting that it would take a tax hike of just under seven per cent to cover additional costs in 2018, on top of maintaining current service levels.
If that preliminary number stands, it would be the second-highest tax increase of the last 20 years, equivalent to roughly an extra $120 a year for the owner of a home with an assessed value of $325,000.
In the report, administration notes it will present councillors with a series of reports in coming months that will look at options for spending cuts in all city departments.
Cutting services could allow councillors to rein in the proposed tax hike, and potentially avoid some ratepayers’ wrath come 2018.
City council will put together the 2018 budget following deliberations in December.
