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CITY HALL
CRIME
City eyes ‘tough’ tax hike
Witnesses sought in robbery at ATM Theresa McManus
Budget outlook eyes increase of 5.4 or 6.4% — but it’s not final yet
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
Theresa McManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
The City of New Westminster is considering a potential tax hike of 5.4 or 6.4 per cent in 2023. During a three-hour workshop on Jan. 30, council got its first look at the 2023 operating budget. Staff presented city council with two possible options. The first option calls for a tax increase of 5.4 per cent.That proposal includes a rollover of costs associated with the 2022 budget, plus increases related to WorkSafeBC costs, fees for E-Comm services, and police training services at the Justice Institute of B.C., as well as service enhancements related to downtown livability, human resources and information technology. The second, which calls for a 6.4 per cent increase, includes all of the above, plus a one per cent increase associated with other proposals — including investments in engineering supplies and material, a revenue adjustment related to the Q to Q ferry, consultants’ studies and some staffing positions. Continued on page 3
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FROM A DREAM: Émilie Monnet’s Okinum is onstage at the Anvil Theatre as part of the PuSh
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New Westminster police are appealing for witnesses in a downtown robbery. Officers with the New Westminster Police Department were dispatched to a 911 call in the early morning hours of Friday, Jan. 27. A man who’d just withdrawn money from a bank’s ATM reported being chased by another man with a pipe, according to a police press release. Police say the suspect fled with the victim’s money. The victim escaped unharmed. Officers rushed to the scene, but the robbery suspect was not located. Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward. The suspect is described as a man wearing a yellow jacket and a black, medical-style facemask. “This incident is upsetting, and, understandably, some people feel vulnerable using an ATM,” said NWPD spokesperson Sgt. Justine Thom. “If you ever observe suspicious vehicles or people, leave the area and return during regular business hours.The presence of other customers and staff lowers the risk of these personal robberies occurring.” Anyone with information should call police at 604-525-5411.
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