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THURSDAY, January 27, 2022
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PRINCEGEORGECITIZEN
City has pile of cash left over, council told level they think is appropriate.” Reducing the 2022 tax increase from the proposed 6.55 per cent to three Year-end projections show the City per cent would require more than of Prince George will not need to use $4.05 million. roughly $3 million from the ProvinBabicz outlined the measures taken cial Safe Restart Grant authorized by by the city to control costs during the city council last year. COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2020, eight manageIn 2021, city council authorized use of the grant money to prevent a tax ment and four unionized positions increase in the were eliminated, 2021 budget resulting in $1.55 I would not year. Director million in annual of finance Kris savings. expect the Dalio said the In 2020, each city to come city’s 2021 department looked budget was very at non-labour millions of dollars conservative expenses and susunder budget again.” pended spending because of the unknowns assoon items including ciated with the training, travel and COVID-19 pandemic. conference attendance. The city was able to reopen many In addition, other expenses were facilities and generated more revenue reviewed and eliminated on a perthan projected, he said. manent basis. The review resulted in “I would not expect the city to nearly $350,000 in annual savings. come millions of dollars under budget Furthermore, management/exempt again,” Dalio added. “This was a onestaff and mayor and council received time thing.” a zero per cent cost-of-living increase That leaves roughly $6.11 million in 2020 and 2021, saving approxiavailable to the city for the 2022 budmately $500,000 in operating costs. get year. More than $365,500 in additional The city received the funding in cost savings were found in 2021. 2020 from the provincial government In 2021, further organizational for municipalities hard-hit by the structure changes were implemented COVID-19 pandemic. resulting in a total of $365,592 in oper“There is very little that a local ating cost reductions. government can not use this money In total, the city reduced its annual for,” city manager Walter Babicz said. operating budget by $2.75 million. “That would enable council to con“That’s $2.7 million we don’t have to sider again the use of the Safe Restart talk about in the coming days,” Coun. funding to reduce the tax levy to a Terri McConnachie said.
ARTHUR WILLIAMS
Citizen staff
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
SCORING CELEBRATION Northern Capitals defender Keagan Goulet shouts after
scoring a goal against the Fraser Valley Rush on Sunday morning at Fort Forum in Fort St. James as part of the Third Annual Northern Winter Classic. Goulet scored two goals, including the winner with 3:37 left in the game, to lead her team to a 5-4 victory. Fraser Valley took the Saturday game played in Vanderhoof by a score of 4-1.
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