By ROY WOOD

The share of the regional budget that Osoyoos will pay for 2020 is up by just over 10 per cent, about double the increase for the regional district as a whole.

Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) chief financial officer John Kurvink this morning outlined for Osoyoos council members the regional budget and its implications for the town.

According to his slideshow presentation, the total requisition request to Osoyoos from the RDOS for 2020 will be $925,140, up 10.25 per cent from last year’s $839,093. The overall regional budget requisition is $20.2 million, up about six per cent.

In an interview, Kurvink told ODN the three main causes of the disparity are:

• The total assessed value of property in Osoyoos increased more than the RDOS as a whole and contributions are based on a formula influenced heavily by assessed values;
• A substantial increase in the budget for regional transit, primarily the bus from Osoyoos to Kelowna; and
• An increase in costs associated with the Sun Bowl Arena.

For residential taxpayers, the 2020 property tax allocation for an average home in Osoyoos will be $162.38. The remainder of the $925K will come from other tax bases, like commercial, industrial, agriculture and recreational.

The RDOS extends from Anarchist Mountain in the east to Manning Park in the west, and from north of Summerland to the US border, including Penticton, Summerland, Princeton, Oliver, Osoyoos, Keremeos and the Penticton Indian Band, along with nine rural electoral areas.

It provides: regional services such as 911 emergency calling and regional trails; rural services like building inspections and planning; shared services including victim services; and local services such as fire protection and water services.

Generally speaking, individual jurisdictions pay only for the RDOS services that they consume.