Merritt city council has approved in principal a 3.4 per cent budget increase for this year.

Last week, council passed third reading for its financial plan and property tax bylaws.

Mayor Linda Brown says the city is working hard to improve infrastructure.

“When I first became a councillor, our budgets were $10 million, $11 million, $12 million. This year, it’s $26 million. We have more than doubled our budget over the last few years. That tells me that staff are working like beavers to get projects done for this community.”

While the budget includes $26 million in spending, $10 million of that would be grant funding from higher levels of government.

“All the grants may not be approved, we may have to cut back,” Brown says. “On the other hand, the fact that we are planning for $26 million this year, tells the community that we’re looking after some of our infrastructure. And I think it’s important they know that.”

The biggest infrastructure project planned this year is phase two of infrastructure improvements on Voght St., which would cost $7.5 million with $6.75 million coming from grant funding. Another $2.3 million will also be spent on a new active transportation path, and just under $1 million will be spent on an expansion to the fire hall.

Coun. Mike Bhungu was one of two council members who voted against the tax increase.

“The tax burden on the citizen, in my opinion, is already beyond the breaking point. And I can’t, in good conscious, vote for a tax increase. What I’d like to see is the city reduce their spending. I’d like the different departments finding other avenues of revenue, other avenues of funding.”

The rise in taxes this year comes after Merritt reduced taxes last year by 5.74 per cent, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.