Saturday July 16, 2022 | SOOKE, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The District of Sooke annually conducts a public survey to gain input on the budget priorities of Sooke residents.
Input on Budget 2023 can be done online through Sunday July 17, 2022.
This survey also provides personal information about how resident tax dollars are spent. By entering the value of their current property assessment, the online interface shows you how a property owner’s property taxes are allocated to different services.
Updating the district’s budget is a year-long process that residents are invited to participate in each year. As the budget is developed, there are different ways for you to participate through each phase.
Budget Process:
The budget process start with the survey, followed by preliminary budget development through to October. There is a municipal election on October 15, 2022. That means a new council will be working with the preliminary budget concepts and numbers, with which to produce the final Budget 2023 (with a community budget open house available to the public) in winter 2023.
- Citizen Budget Survey & Service-level Review (June 15-July 17) – that’s this survey!
- Preliminary Budget Development (July-October)
- Staff Budget Presentation to Committee of the Whole for initial Discussion (Fall 2022) (note: subsequent timelines to be determined after this meeting)
- First Reading (introduction) of District’s Budget at Regular Council Meeting
- Second Reading (initial Council discussion) of District’s Budget at Regular Council Meeting
- Community Budget Open House
- Third Reading (Final Council discussion) of District’s Budget at Regular Council Meeting
- Budget Adoption
What you can learn:
By joining the budget conversation and staying connected throughout the process, the District of Sooke says property taxpayers will learn:
- Opportunities and limitations of the district’s budget; and
- What projects and service changes are planned within the five-year financial plan.
Allow at least 15 minutes to participate.
More about The District of Sooke:
Other background is provided on the Sooke budget survey page:
- 2020 Annual Report
- 2022-2026 Financial Plan Bylaw
- Summary of feedback from the 2021 Budget Survey
- Transportation Master Plan Implementation Page
- Parks and Trails Master Plan Implementation Page
- Development Cost Charges Bylaw
===== RELATED:
Farmer’s market in Sooke on a sunny Saturday (July 10, 2022)
Sooke municipal election landscape slowly warming up (July 10, 2022)
Sooke Fine Arts Show back to in-person in 2022 (July 8, 2022)
Premier Horgan attends Sooke Community Sport Box grand opening (June 27, 2022)
Big crowd for long-awaited Sooke Library opening (June 12, 2022)
