City of Nelson budget nears adoption
By Timothy Schafer
The City of Nelson’s “status quo” budget passed its first three readings during the recent council meeting without any incident.
The budget has not changed since it was introduced at an open house and question period at the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce building last month. Property taxes will rise at least 1.75 per cent for 2016, along with other utility increases.
Overall, in addition to the property tax increase ($26 annual increase, based on a $328,814 home), city council has formulated a three per cent increase ($15 annual increase) in water rates per home, as well as two per cent ($10 annual increase) in sanitary sewer rates for a home.
There will also be a 3.8 per cent increase in Nelson Hydro rates effective April 1 (a 2.6 per cent annual increase). There will be no change in garbage and recycling fees since the city is currently receiving $140,000 annually from Multi-Material B.C. to collect recycling, enough to fund the operation.
Not including the power rate increase, the city’s residential taxpayers will pay an average increase of $51 to the city — rising from $2,557 (2015 actual) to $2,608 (2016 proposed).
Businesses in the city — which make up 25 per cent of the tax role — will see an average increase of $236 per year. Based on a $1 million assessed value commercial restaurant, taxes rise from $12,169 (2015 actual) to $12,404 (2016 proposed).
The increase does not include possible tax increases assessed by the regional district, the health region, the board of education and the province which the city also collects for.
