City of Red Deer
Red Deer City Council looking to keep tax increase just below 1%
From The City of Red Deer
2020 Operating Budget approved with direction for further reductions
After five days of deliberations, City Council approved a $389 million Operating Budget, reducing the proposed 2.49 per cent tax increase to 1.26 per cent with direction to identify further savings to reduce to 0.97 per cent.
To achieve the reduced tax rate, Council directed administration to identify an additional $400,000 in cost savings by the end of February.
“Our goal is to always keep the budget and cost of living in Red Deer as affordable as possible withoutcompromising our ability to provide quality services to our citizens,” said Mayor Tara Veer. “Administration met Council’s guidelines set in the spring, but with the continued economic recession, we need to find further savings which will result in a significantly reduced budget than we were originally expecting.”
To make the initial reductions to the proposed tax rate during deliberations, Council approved approximately $2.1 million in corporate cost savings, revenues, and efficiencies. These savings included eliminating a $500,000 transfer from operating to the operating reserve tax supported fund, as well as reducing the proposed 2020 capital contribution from one per cent to 0.5 per cent at a value of $682,000.
“In response to the economy, we have frozen staffing levels in 2020, with the exception of policing to address community safety challenges,” said Mayor Veer.
“Much like the Capital Budget, the Operating Budget is focused on maintaining current service levels. Cost savings were achieved where possible and we are able to honour previous commitments focusing on community safety by maintaining the added member complement in the RCMP,” said Allan Seabrooke, City Manager. “Council provided direction to administration to find an additional reduction of $400,000, and we’ll take the next six weeks to comb through the budget to identify further cost savings while minimizing impacts on our citizens and staff.”
Administration will bring a report back to Council at the end of February outlining the additional cost savings, giving time for the Tax Rate Bylaw to be adopted in April. The municipal tax rate will then be combined with the provincial education tax requisition and the requisition for the Piper Creek Foundation to determine how much property tax residents will pay.
For a home valued at $325,000, a homeowner will pay $2,338.09 in the municipal portion of their taxes based on a 0.97 per cent increase. This works out to an increase of $22.46 per year or $1.87 per month.
Residents can find out more about the 2020 Operating Budget by visiting The City’s website atwww.reddeer.ca/budget.City
2024 City Councilor By-Election
Get to know your candidates for city council: Calvin Yzerman
From elections.reddeer.ca
About the Candidate
I know Red Deer. I have lived here since 1961. This by-election is a somber occasion for myself and many others in our community as we have lost an irreplaceable community friend and Councillor. Red Deer has been good to our family and has a lot going for it. Our choice location in Central Alberta along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway makes Red Deer an ideal hub to service the rest of Alberta and Western Canada. The Regional Airport is a short drive away. Thank you for taking the time to vote.
Candidate Priorities
Housing and Homelessness | I am hopeful that all levels of Government can come together to solve this urgent problem. Non-profits, and private-sector housing providers can also play a role in developing innovative and sustainable affordable housing projects. |
---|---|
Crime Prevention and Policing | Everyone wants a safe community and crime prevention is a top concern. I support Red Deer’s Annual Policing Plan. I was recently reminded by members of the Social Diversion Team to call 403-406-2200 if you see someone need of non-emergency support. |
Infrastructure and Utilities | Infrastructure and Utilities is one of those areas that City residents rely upon everyday. I feel that the City of Red Deer has a strong Strategic Plan in place to address new and aging infrastructure. Spring road repairs could improve. |
Public Transit | I feel that The City of Red Deer Transit Network Improvements Project was well designed to address transit service in Red Deer. I also support a modern safe high speed train connection between Alberta’s major Cities. |
Restoration of Red Deer EMS Dispatch | Our local Red Deer EMS Dispatch model was top notch and service suffered greatly when the Province consolidated EMS dispatch. I would strongly urge the Province to restore EMS dispatch to its former model. |
Contact Information
* Candidate profiles are published as submitted. Please note: The City does not operate, review, endorse or approve any external site listed here and is not responsible or liable for any damages arising from linking to or using these sites.
Red Deer voters will have many opportunities to cast their ballot in this By-Election. Advance Vote will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April 18 to 20. Voters will be able to select one of three Advance Vote locations at Parkland Mall, Baymont by Wyndham Red Deer or Westerner Park. The same voting stations will be open for voters from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on By-Election Day, April 22.
Information about the By-Election, including details about where to vote, who is running and how to vote is available on the Elections website at elections.reddeer.ca.
2024 City Councilor By-Election
Get to know your candidates for city council: Liam (The Level) Milaney
From elections.reddeer.ca
About the Candidate
I was born in Red Deer and grew up between West Park in Red Deer and our Farm west of Bowden. I have been living in Downtown Red Deer for the last 20 years in a historic home built in 1904. In 2022 I ran for City Council because of my Love for the City and watching the history being erased and culture harder to access. I am running now and will continue to do so because I see how with my experience and forward-thinking approach, we can make Red Deer a better place for all.
Candidate Priorities
1. Managing the Fiscal Budget | We are still reeling because of the pandemic. I believe however that there needs to be more scrutiny when it comes to city spending. Management of projects and infrastructure, as well as finding ways to promote businesses to choose Red Deer. |
---|---|
2. Crime and Harm Prevention | Firstly, we need to provide more affordable and facilitated housing opportunities. To get people who wish to be off the streets, providing a safe place to live and grow a family. |
3. Incentivizing Commercial/Industrial Business | The fact of the matter is that we need to start transitioning to more renewable sources of power and power production, now. I see these industries hybridizing in a cohesive way. Thusly reducing unemployment and increasing city growth. |
4. Encourage Downtown Growth and Community | Our core used to be a destination! Not a place to avoid. For this, many factors come into play, including: the rise in the cost of living, unemployment, the way the city has built a corridor for the homeless and transient population. |
5. The Protection of Red Deer’s Cultural History | We are still reeling because of the pandemic. I believe however that there needs to be more scrutiny when it comes to city spending. Management of projects and infrastructure, as well as finding ways to promote businesses to choose Red Deer. |
Contact Information
* Candidate profiles are published as submitted. Please note: The City does not operate, review, endorse or approve any external site listed here and is not responsible or liable for any damages arising from linking to or using these sites.
Red Deer voters will have many opportunities to cast their ballot in this By-Election. Advance Vote will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April 18 to 20. Voters will be able to select one of three Advance Vote locations at Parkland Mall, Baymont by Wyndham Red Deer or Westerner Park. The same voting stations will be open for voters from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on By-Election Day, April 22.
Information about the By-Election, including details about where to vote, who is running and how to vote is available on the Elections website at elections.reddeer.ca.
-
Alberta1 day ago
Free Alberta Strategy backing Smith’s Provincial Priorities Act
-
Business1 day ago
US firms like BlackRock are dropping their climate obsession while Europe ramps theirs up
-
Health2 days ago
‘Shocking cover-up’: DOJ lawyers committed fraud in vaccine injury case, CHD attorney alleges in motion
-
COVID-1917 hours ago
Pro-freedom Canadian nurse gets two years probation for protesting COVID restrictions
-
Automotive1 day ago
Biden’s Kill Switch: The Growing Threat of Government Control of Your Car
-
espionage17 hours ago
Trudeau’s office was warned that Chinese agents posed ‘existential threat’ to Canada: secret memo
-
Economy17 hours ago
Massive deficits send debt interest charges soaring
-
International7 hours ago
Brussels NatCon conference will continue freely after court overturns police barricade