No one showed up to the municipality's second open house last Thursday to review its budget, including a 7.7 percent property tax increase for 2018.
"No, we didn't have any attendance," said Raj Hayre, chief financial officer for the Bowen Island Municipality.
Two people did attend the first open house March 13, he said, adding they’ve also received a few e-mails from the public.
All feedback will be reviewed by the finance advisory committee, said Hayre, with recommendations to council proposed for March 26.
According to the proposed budget, property tax would increase by an estimated $359,000, he said.
Why so much of an increase for 2018?
"The increase is substantial because past years have had very small increases which have not kept up with the operating costs," he said.
Most of the proposed 7.7 percent tax increase — or 6.2 percent — would go towards the operating budget, said Hayre, to things like wages, utilities, supplies and so on.
The remaining 1.5 percent increase would go towards asset renewal, like replacing an old snow plough.
The proposed $5.8-million operating budget was developed to maintain and improve municipal services, according to BIM’s 32-page outline of the draft financial plan.
It is available in full on the municipality's website,www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca under their news section.
