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Central Saanich seeks more savings

Tax increase sits at four per cent; police service tasked with efficiencies.

The property tax increase in Central Saanich has been reduced to four per cent, and has the potential to drop down to three per cent.

The administration and finance committee met on Monday, April 27 and received a report from staff outlining a number of reductions and deferrals through core services, special projects and capital expenditures that would result in a direct savings of $191,454.

Staff were also able to secure an additional small communities protection grant, adding $92,149 to current District revenue.

As Mayor Ryan Windsor had previously requested, contributions to reserves were not affected by the reductions.

The cuts did include a $25,000 reduction to legal administration costs over the five year period, part of core services that District council had wanted to examine further.

“That was something we appreciated,” said Coun. Carl Jensen, “that staff is looking at areas where we can do some trimming.”

The committee agreed to accept staff’s recommendations for reductions and further requested a special meeting with the Central Saanich police board to ask them to help identify an additional one per cent savings from the police core services budget.

Council also asked staff to prepare the budget bylaw for consideration at a council meeting on May 11, with a special administration and finance committee meeting immediately prior detailing specific budget figures for the past three years.

Council is scheduled to meet next Monday, May 4, with specific breakdowns of the suggested reductions.

For more information, visit centralsaanich.ca.