Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Dan Davidson

IMPROVEMENTS SCHEDULED – Dawson City’s 10-year capital plan, ‘enables the City to provide the services residents have come to expect while living within our means,’ the town says.

Dawson’s budget tops $8 million

DAWSON CITY – Dawson City has passed the third reading of its 2019 budget, ending just under a month of public readings which formally began March 25.

By Dan Davidson on June 18, 2019

DAWSON CITY – Dawson City has passed the third reading of its 2019 budget, ending just under a month of public readings which formally began March 25.

They actually began months earlier in discussions at a series of public committee of the whole and council meetings.

The budget tops out at $8,086,570 million, just slightly larger than last year’s $8,032,945.

It includes a 10-year capital plan, which a press release says “enables the City to provide the services residents have come to expect while living within our means.

“The 2019 budget preserves current service levels and continues investments in projects and plans that will grow a vibrant, sustainable, and environmentally friendly community.”

There is no change in the tax rate this year, with “residential properties being levied a tax rate of 1.56% and commercial properties 1.85%.”

Where there is a change is in the waste and waste diversion fee to deal with the growing costs of dealing with waste. Other services, including water and sewer rates, will be increasing.

In discussing the tax rates, Mayor Wayne Potoroka reminded viewers the Cable 12 video telecast that the value of their properties is determined by an assessment administered by the Yukon government. That may trigger an increase in taxes even though the municipal rates have not been changed. This would normally happen again next year.

Several capital projects are planned for 2019, including:

• exterior painting of the Old CIBC bank (the budget for this will be higher than last year, at $489,750);

• continued improvements to water and sewer infrastructure; and

• implementation of the town’s trail management plan

The second item on that list has already led to the closure of the south end of Fifth Avenue, as the new water treatment plant is being completed.

The budget has also set finds aside for several future developments, including:

• planning a metered-water program,

• waste-diversion centre, and

• new recreation complex

The budget also places funds in three reserves for future needs: water, sewer and solid waste. The administration reserve received funding last year.

Dawson anticipates tax revenue of $2,084,900.

Revenue from all other sources brings the total up to $8,086,570, an increase of $53,635 over last year

Comments (4)

Up 2 Down 0

alex on Jun 20, 2019 at 9:46 am

@Dan, thanks for the clarification. I can see how some remediation along with the tin work would shoot the price sky high as it is specialized work.

Up 6 Down 0

Dan Davidson on Jun 19, 2019 at 4:01 pm

CIBC - There’s also replacing some of the tin cladding and some additional substance mitigation. Didn’t have that info when I wrote the piece. Yes, the project was tendered.

Up 12 Down 1

Max Mack on Jun 19, 2019 at 1:05 am

"The growing cost of waste management." Actually, this is because of implementation of tipping fees (which requires secure facilities, truck scales, and additional manpower), add-on recycling programs and other "waste diversion" policies. The cost of conventional landfill, even in Dawson, is quite low before tipping fees and the like.

Funny thing is this: tipping fees themselves result in a never-ending cycle of tax and spend. More revenue means more money to add new or beef up programs, which means tipping fees have to be raised, which results in more revenue for spending on more programs . . . and the cycle repeats ad infinitum. And the mantra of "zero waste" provides the perfect cover for ever-increasing taxation and regulation.

I wish Dawsonites good luck. We're seeing this same nonsense in Whitehorse.
Over $8 million for about 2000 people (about $4,500 per person). That's pretty rich. Even relatively higher than the City of Whitehorse, with its combined 2019 budget of about $90 million for about 30,000 people (about $3,000 per person).

Good thing we have such a rich labour force, thanks to mega federal government transfers.

Up 15 Down 2

alex on Jun 18, 2019 at 8:20 pm

Hold on... almost $500k for just painting of just the exterior of the bank building? Surely this is some sort of joke. Is the paint going to have gold flake in it? Was this contract tendered?

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