There were complaints that Langley Township council isn’t getting enough say over financial decision-making, following a staff presentation about the draft 2016 operating budget at the Monday afternoon (Nov. 2) meeting of council.
As a result, a majority of council voted to schedule a special all-day session, which took place on Nov. 9, to fine-tune the budget details.
The meeting, held in council chambers, was open to the public.
Councillor Michelle Sparrow was the most outspoken critic, saying consideration of the budget had become a “watered down” process where mayor and council don’t get enough time to conduct a detailed review of municipal spending before they vote on the budget.
“I just really feel that council has been removed from the process,” Sparrow said.
Sparrow said the budget documents for council consideration contained less information about municipal spending than they did last year.
“It just doesn’t feel right (to make a decision based on less information),” Sparrow said.
Sparrow said later that council has yet to set priorities for the year ahead and should not be doing that “in isolation of our budget process.”
Councillor Charlie Fox said he wanted time to take the budget home and digest the details.
Councillor Kim Richter said the 66-page slideshow presentation to council Monday afternoon amounted to an “info dump” because councillors were not allowed to ask questions until it was finished.
“This should be council’s budget, not staff’s budget,” Richter said.
“Because we’re the ones who take the hit.”
Mayor Jack Froese said council has the ability to make changes to the draft budget, adding councillors received their budget documents the week before the meeting.
The draft 2016 operating budget proposes a 1.95 per cent increase in municipal taxes, or about $32 more a year for an average single family house worth $514,000.
It includes increases in spending for roadwork and two additional RCMP officers.
The staff presentation quoted B.C. government statistics showing the Township municipal tax burden is near the bottom of 18 Metro municipalities at number 15, less than Maple Ridge, Abbotsford and Surrey and above Langley City, Pitt Meadows and Chilliwack tax bills.