First night of Budget Consultation month gets underway tonight as part of Regular City Council session

Prince Rupert City Council will be hosting the first opportunity for the
public to comment on the 2020 Budget process tonight at 7PM

If residents of Prince Rupert have any guidance to offer City Council on their approach towards Budget making, tonight is the night to make the trip down to Council Chambers on Third Avenue West and share your thoughts.

Tonight, the City's Council members will host the first of two Community engagement sessions, with the public commentary period to come as part of the 7PM Council session.

City Council launched the Budget period in February with a pair of presentations from the City's Chief Financial Officer Corinne Bomben.

Budget Preview provides glimpse at challenges, shares good news on taxation plans

Path towards loan approval requests put forward by Prince Rupert CFO on Monday

Last week the Finance Office released the Five Year Financial plan document, among some of the coordinated themes from the Mayor and City Manager was the notation by both of the city's hard work in development of Watson Island and the use of Legacy Funding towards securing Prince Rupert's financial future.

The Mayor also called attention to the Rupert 2030 Vision plan as well as a range of infrastructure work that the city has in mind for the next few years. He also reinforces the city's plans to "rebrand" offering a hint of a new civic logo that  will develop a more modern and inclusive vision for Prince Rupert in this new century.

The Executive Summary of the Document provides for the snapshot of key talking points for the Mayor, Council and Financial office, along with the priorities that council has established for 2020.

Also included in the plan for the next five years is an overview of the Budget Highlights for 2020, which reviews the changes in store for the year.

Among some of the key elements includes a look at the additional costs for contractual wage and benefits for civic workers and RCMP personnel, the need for an additional 360,000 dollars as part of the 1.635 million dollars to be transferred to Port Edward under the Ridley Island Tax Agreement.

Also included in the overview are notes on how the City will use the Legacy Fund, how much they will get in a dividend from CityWest and borrowing plans and a commitment towards a recommended 0% mill rate increase also make for the snapshot of highlights.

You can review our notes on the Five Year Financial Plan and access the link to the 55 page document below:

With City Budget Feedback period now underway, Proposed Five Year Financial Plan available for review

Tonight's First Consultation meeting, will be followed by a second and final consultation scheduled for the March 23rd City Council session.

Part of the consultation this year includes an online survey which asks three questions of those who choose to log onto the Rupert Talks consultation portal.

The First asking if residents agree with the 0% change proposed to the tax rate.

Question two asks for respondents to indicate for the city if they were aware that a list of upcoming major projects will require debt financing to finance the work required.

Question three asks if the public supports the City's plan to take on debt to finance major infrastructure projects.

You can participate in the survey from this link.

A wider overview of the 2020 Budget process is available here.

For a look at what else is on the Council Agenda for this evening see our Council Preview item here.