Lacombe County Council adopts 2020 interim budgets
Lacombe County Council has adopted the County’s 2020 interim operating and capital budgets. Following the priorities set out in the County’s Strategic Plan, its long-range road construction, and capital equipment replacement plans, the budget supports the maintenance of existing service levels while managing the County’s spending in a responsible manner that reflects the current economic situation.
“Lacombe County was faced with a tough budget year because of unique challenges facing our economy, including a significant loss in revenue from shallow gas well taxes,” said Tim Timmons, County Manager. “We recognize the importance of planning for rainy days – or rainy years, as it seems. Council voted to approve an interim budget for 2020 that recognizes the challenges and uncertainty in our province. Still, we were able to mitigate some of the challenges through our use of reserve transfers.”
Interim operating and capital budgets are approved in December of each year, and are the first stage of a two-stage process that authorizes the County to spend on approved projects and conduct operations as of January 1, 2020. Stage 2 is the approval of the final budgets and tax rates, and takes place in the following spring when the Province sets the property tax levy for education purposes, and when property assessment values have been confirmed.