Waterloo Region 2014 budget guide

Budget deliberations are underway or imminent for Waterloo Regionmunicipalities.

Below is a Google calendar detailing key dates and, where available, the times of budget meetings forthe Region of Waterloo,the cities of Kitchener, Cambridgeand Waterloo and the townships.

You can import this calendar into your own Google calendar by clicking the link in the bottom right-hand corner of the field above.

Budget facts you need to know

Region of Waterloo

• Waterloo Region's budget committee is aiming for a 2.8 per cent property tax increase for 2014. That includes an increase of 0.9 per cent for the Waterloo Regional Police Service budget.
• The budget committee faces $7.5 million in service and staffing cuts in order to meet this2014 budget guideline. A list of services to be put on the chopping block will be presented at the November 20 council meeting.
• The Waterloo Regional Police Servicehasproposed a nearly 5 per cent budget increase,about $1 million more than the region is prepared to spend.
• Four senior police officers will not be replaced when they retire in 2014. This will save the force approximately $500,000.
• Administration and finance committee chair:Coun.Tom Galloway

City of Kitchener

• Staff are aiming to keep a property tax increase to1.25 per cent.
• Councillors have seven alternate sources of revenue at their disposalthat could reduce the 2014 property tax increaseby 0.25 per cent.Those options includeseeking out more revenue throughsponsorshipsand increased user fees.
• Kitchener has created abudget calculator toolthat allows residents to explore the samedecisions councillors face during deliberations.
• Finance and corporate services chair: Coun. Scott Davey.

City of Cambridge

• The draft budget is not yet available.
• The 2014 Cambridge operating and capital budgets are expected to be approved March 3.
• A third budget task force meeting is tentatively scheduled forFebruary 6, depending on the progress of earlierdeliberations.
• Budget task force chair:Coun. Gary Price.

City of Waterloo

• Detailed budget packages to be released the week of November 25.
• The city of Waterloo is in the third year of a previously approved three-year budget.
• The three-year budget was approved in 2012. It was based upon aforecasted2014 consumer price index of 2.46 per cent. The actual CPI as of August 2013 is 1.25 per cent.
• A property taxincrease of 1.25 per cent would meanan increase of $14.95 for the average household, based on the average property value of $323,000 in the city of Waterloo.
• Finance and strategic planning committee chair:Coun. KarenScian.