Saskatoon taxpayers can now look further into the future

It has been done in Calgary and now Saskatoon city council will try rolling out a multi-year budget.

Administration said on Wednesday that the goal is to give taxpayers, and the city, a better sense of what to expect over the long term.

It will also allow for “better alignment of the City’s longer-term goals and objectives,” according to a city news release on Wednesday.

“When you look at some other cities, they actually go the full term of the council, so they actually set their priorities and then put in a resource plan, so there is some idea and certainty that the plan can be achieved with the resources that are being allocated,” said Kerry Tarasoff, the chief financial officer with the City of Saskatoon.

“Right now, every year, we go before council every year and ask for funds they may or may not provide.”

He said that jeopardized long-term planning because planners are always dealing with “shorter pieces.”

Tarasoff said the two-year plan could be just the start; if it is successful, they could go to a four-year plan.

“Calgary is a four-year cycle, and there are some issues around that for sure. It’s a little harder even doing a two-year cycle. We’ll take a look at this after the two years and make some decisions,” Tarasoff said.

Administration has three options up for consideration for the 2020-21 budget.

Option 1:

• Target a property tax less than 3.94 per cent and 4.17 per cent for 2020 and 2021, which includes an additional one per cent towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall. This option would require the administration to reproduce a budget less than the current estimated cost to maintain existing services and implement the city-wide organics program phase-in.

Option 2:

• The Administration is recommending a targeted property tax increase equal to 3.94 per cent and 4.17 per cent in 2020 and 2021 which includes an additional one per cent towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall. This option would require the administration to proceed with the current estimated costs to maintain existing services as well as continued implementation of the city-wide organics program phase-in.

Option 3:

• Target a property tax higher than 3.94 per cent and 4.17 per cent for 2020 and 2021, which includes an additional one per cent towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall. This option would provide sufficient funding to maintain existing service levels, continue the phase-in of the city-wide organics program and leave funding for the implementation of other initiatives to achieve other City Council Strategic Priorities.