Morinville residents can provide input on 6% budget increase

by Morinville News Staff
with files from Colin Smith

The Town of Morinville is seeking online and offline input to the 2018 budget over the next couple of weeks, starting with a series of open houses on Tuesday night and a new Citizen Budget Tool that was launched online Monday.

Morinville Town Council gave first reading Jan. 23 to a 2018 operating budget that would result in a six per cent tax increase for property owners in its current form.

The draft budget calls for $19.8 million in total expenditures, up eight per cent over the previous year. Town revenues are expected to rise six per cent to $20.3 million, for an overall budget surplus of $590,000.

For an average Morinville home, with an estimated value of $300,000, taxes would go up by $124.

Open House & Online Survey

An open house to allow the Morinville residents to share their opinions on the draft budget will take place Jan. 30. Council and Admin will speak to residents in an open hous format from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m and then take registered pulbic presentations at 7:30 p.m.

Residents can also comment and ask questions through email at budget2018@morinville.ca and through “Citizen Budget” at http://morinville.citizenbudget.com until Feb. 6.

Updates will be posted on the site.

“Right now is the opportunity for residents to provide feedback to Council on where they would like their tax dollars to go, and Council is listening,” said Mayor Barry Turner in a Morinville News Interview. “I would also ask residents to please attend the upcoming open house and respond to the online resident survey to let Council know exactly how you want tax dollars spent.”

Second and Third Reading after public feedback

The 2018 Operational and Capital Budget will be brought back to Council for second reading on Feb. 13, at which point it will be open for amendment. The budget with any amendments will then be made available for public comment. Amendments may again be made before the final document is approved at third reading.

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