Whitecourt 2015 Budget Highlights

A budget is an essential part of a household’s good money management. Knowing how your income and assets balance against liabilities and debt allows you to maintain a balance that ensures all your financial obligations, present and future, are met. Towns are no different. There are pressing needs, future planning, and regular expenditures that must be accounted for. The Town of Whitecourt carefully considers each budget item and operates with transparency to ensure the budget benefits every resident.
Here are some highlights from the 2015 budget.
Capital Budget
The capital budget of $18,701,915 sees land sales/planning and development taking the largest slice of the pie at 43.19 per cent, which bodes well for the growing town. Common services come in at 22.43 per cent, followed by parks and recreation at 12.15 per cent. The remainder is allocated among essential and general services.
Operating Budget
Parks and recreation, at 19.44 per cent, comprise the largest expenditure of the $38,124,650 operating budget, followed by disaster (11.82 per cent), roads/cemetery/storm sewer (11.55 per cent), and police and bylaw (11.42 per cent). The remainder is allocated among essential and general services.
Tax Dollars
How are your tax dollars allocated? The $12,063,298 of tax monies (does not include school and foundation requisitions) sees parks and recreation with the largest percentage at 26.02, followed by roads/cemetery/storm sewers at 16.20 per cent. General government is at 12.53 per cent. The remainder is allocated among essential and general services
Note that Whitecourt’s annual budget report will be published once the tax rate bylaw is adopted, and the item will be presented at council’s meeting on April 27.