City Administration has come up with some more savings for the 2024 and 25 budgets, which originally had estimated deficits of $52.4 million in the first year and $23.2 million in the next.

After the special budget meeting in July, reductions of $21.6 million were found for 2024 and $1.6 million in 2025. A news release from the City of Saskatoon says Administration has refined the estimates, meaning the budget gap to be presented at Tuesday’s special budget meeting would now include a gap of $26.2 million in 2024 and $19.3 million the next year.

That would mean a new starting point for a tax increase of almost 9 per cent next year, followed by a just over 6 per cent the next year. When the deficit was first announced, Administration reported that if the revenue gap was left unmitigated, the City would have to have an 18.56 per cent property tax impact next year and another 6.95 per cent increase in ’25.

Council has also requested to receive draft budgets from the Saskatoon Police Board of Commissioners and the Saskatoon Library Board earlier than normal so they can be incorporated into future budget discussions.