The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has lifted the lid on some numbers from its draft 2024 budget, the most significant of which is a proposed 8.18-per-cent tax increase.
According to a Nov. 7 release from the RMOW, the 2024 budget is mostly focused on increasing reserves to fund the renewal of critical water and sewer infrastructure "as well as important investments in operations, climate mitigation and parks."
In hard numbers, the 2024 budget outlines a $92.2-million operating budget, a $24.1-million capital budget, a $24.3-million utilities operating budget, and a $20.2-million utilities capital budget, according to the release.
The proposed 8.18-per-cent property tax hike "is equal to approximately $103 per million dollars of assessed value on a market residential property, $529 per million on a business property,” it continued. As always, year-to-year increases for individual properties will vary.
In its 2022 budget, the RMOW settled on an 8.4-per-cent property tax hike, one of the most significant annual tax increases in its history, along with increases of three per cent for water, four per cent for solid waste, and five per cent for sewer fees and taxes.
The Whistler community is invited by the RMOW to learn more about the proposed budget and provide feedback either online, or in person on Nov. 9 at the Whistler Public Library.
There are two sessions for locals to learn about the proposed budget on Thursday, Nov. 9. The first, the Building the 2024 Budget fireside mingle and budget presentation, is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. RMOW council and staff will be present to answer questions and hear feedback on the proposed budget. The evening session, schedule from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., also affords the chance to chat with staff and council, as well as hear a budget presentation at 5:30 p.m. from municipal staff, followed by remarks from Mayor Jack Crompton.
Learn more at engage.whistler.ca/2024Budget.
