County council presented ratepayers with the lowest spending increase in several years when it passed its budget on Jan. 26.
That was good News after the county’s finance committee recommended a levy with a larger increase: $76.4 million or 3.24%.
County treasurer Craig Dyer said in an addendum to the budget that on Jan. 23 the provincial government released its Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund grants and the county would receive $4.7 million this year – an increase of $388,700 over the 2011 allocation. The grant was higher than officials expected during preliminary budget talks.
That extra $388,000 allowed the county to adjust a transfer to reserves for social services and land ambulance and ultimately lowered the budget increase to 1.9%.
Finance committee chairman John Green told council in his report there are “some difficult times in the municipalities.”
Green said the county decided if it could support the lower tier by keeping the tax increase low, it would mean they could use the opportunity to budget for some extra cash.
As for the 1.9% increase, Green said, “That’s pretty reasonable in difficult times and gives the municipalities an opportunity to do things they need to do.”
It was the first time in several years councillors had no questions about the budget. They passed it unanimously.
County taxes will increase by $42 from $2,218 to $2,260 for an average single family home assessed at $334,596.
The total expenditures for Wellington County in 2012 are projected to be $173.1 million, with revenues of $97.7 million, leaving taxpayers to come up with $75.4 million.
Among the major expenditures are:
– $13.2 million for roads and bridges (some of which will be covered by the county’s share of slots revenue for Centre Wellington Township);
– $4 million for library work, including $1 million to complete the Harriston library renovation and expansion, $2.5 million for the Fergus Library branch and $100,000 for the interior of the Erin library, plus expansion of hours of operation at the at the Puslinch and Harriston libraries;
– $567,000 for the 1877 Poor House project at the Wellington County Museum, the house and barn revitalization project to open the barn to exhibits, and Poor House cemetery restoration and stair construction;
– about $26 million for the construction of a second 55-unit affordable housing building in Fergus, subject to federal-provincial funding approval, with the county having its costs in a reserve fund;
– $3 million for property acquisition, design and construction of the new police operations centre in North Wellington, with the balance of $4 million coming next year;
– two new uniformed OPP officers added in 2012;
– Wellington County Archives will be open seven days a week beginning in May;
– $75,000 for a county-wide economic development strategic plan, plus $70,000 for the Waterloo Wellington Community Futures Development Corporation, $13,000 for the Guelph Wellington local food initiative; $52,000 for the Festival and Events Guide, $25,000 for a Wellington County branding study and $25,000 for a Recipes to Experience guide promoting local food and culinary events in Wellington; and
– $4.9 million for construction of the new central roads garage on County Road 7 south of Ponsonby.
Taxpayer fatigue
County Warden Chris White said in an interview after the meeting he is pleased with a budget increase under the rate of inflation.
He said he was happy the budget could be kept “low at the county. There’s quite a bit of taxpayer fatigue across the board.”
White said the county has “a little more capability” to work on its projects, and if it had gone above or close to the 3% inflation rate, it would leave little room for lower tier municipalities to manoeuvre when they set their budgets.
White said lower tier municipalities take a much lower share of the tax bill, and a low county budget will help them raise cash they need.
“A new, blended rate should still be at or on the rate of inflation. We’re just trying to shift it a bit,” he said.
White added there is a good reason for that. “The health of the lower tier is absolutely critical to the health of the county. We know it’s one taxpayer.”
Green stated in a press release issued after the budget was passed, “County council is continuing its long standing tradition of investing in essential programs and services that make Wellington County a great place to live and do business.”
