The new Operating budget for 2015-2018 has finally been approved by city council late this November.
City council was dealing with numerous needs and wants of the Lethbridge community, but had a limited amount of spending room to meet the community needs. With the list being so long city council approved a 3.2% tax increase which will see average families paying 5.21$ more a month or $61.27 annually over the next four years.
“Much of our budget deliberations focused on finding inefficiencies and limiting staffing increases only to those that are absolutely necessary to provide services at the level and standard our citizens expect,” said Mayor Chris Spearman. “This budget also begins to address several of Council’s strategic priorities such as evaluating the efficiency of public transit, enhancing downtown vibrancy and live-ability, and providing strong leadership and clear direction to our organization.
One of City Council’s strategic goals is to demonstrate financial stewardship by balancing resources with needs to achieve the current and future priorities of the community. The new operating budget includes amenities such as a new snow plow, street cleaners, and even better transportation. So students can expect to see better busing routes coming their way within the New Year.
