2021 municipal budget deliberations continue tonight

Merritt City Council is set to continue working towards formalizing the 2021 budget tonight during a committee of the whole meeting.

“We will review revenues, expenditures, capital, and reserves. The revenue review will include proposed tax rate changes for 2021, service revenue assumptions, and other sources of revenue. The expenditure review will include 2021 staffing along with assumptions on cost increase due to inflation and other factors. The capital review will include a breakdown of projects and funding sources. The impact the proposed plan will have on the City’s surplus and reserves will be highlighted in this report,” wrote Finance Director Wayne Anderson.

City Council is working under a proposed mill rate decrease of 5.3%, however, due to property assessments increasing across the city, many Merrittonains will see a tax increase.

Before the budget discussion, City Council will hear a presentation from Enno Koll, the CEO of the Ashcroft Terminal.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 pm and can be viewed online.