Use CPI to help bring qRD’s budget and taxes under control

A major reason I’m running for Texada Director (Area D) of qathet Regional District is to bring its budget under control.

In 2011, the financial footprint (revenue balanced with expenses) of qRD was $7 million, the highest it had ever been at that point.  But by this year that footprint has reached close to $30 million, far surpassing the rate of inflation. We experience pain from this Sasquatch qRD financial footprint every year at tax time.

Just in the last four years, qRD has been collecting taxes from Texadans and the rest of our region at double the rate of inflation.  Revenue went from $15.8 million in 2022, to $21.7 million in 2025.

My proposal is to limit annual budget increases to no more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation measurement — and preferably less. For reference, the CPI in our province has been around 3.0% for the past few years. We can do even better, but this would be a good start on bringing qRD’s budget and taxes under control.