Based on current budget projections, taxes for an average home in Minto will increase by about 3.76 per cent this year.
The figure represents a blended increase including projections for both county and school board taxes.
Figures provided at a Jan. 11 Minto council budget meeting indicate the owner of a home worth $224,000 will pay about $3,095 in total property tax in 2018, an increase of about $112.
The town receives $50 of that increase, with the rest going to county and school board levies.
The budget, if approved as projected, would increase the local tax levy by $235,000 from about $4.712 million to $4.947 million.
However, CAO Bill White and treasurer Gordon Duff cautioned against putting too much stock in percentages before final tax ratios are set for the county and school boards.
“Essentially, from tax we’re raising $62,000 new dollars, so that’s one and a half percent. Not that you want to use percentages, but that’s one that you could use,” said White.
He pointed out that in the 2017 budget an anticipated 3% tax rate increase became 1.63% after the final adjustment of tax ratios.
Among the key impacts to the levy for 2018 are:
– a reduction of $172,200 in the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund contribution from the province;
– $80,000 increase in payroll costs (internal, external, pay equity and cost of living allowance);
– $55,000 increase in costs for facilities staffing, satellite facilities and trails; and
– $10,000 increase to bring taxwork and reconstruction on Minto’s 12th Line for about $200,000;
– purchase of a new pumper/tanker truck for the fire station in Palmerston at about $450,000;
– about $50,000 worth of park upgrades in Clifford;
– $80,000 for a new ice resurfacing machine for the Palmerston arena; and
– $100,000 for upgrades to the Harriston Kinsmen Pool and enhancements to surrounding parkland, including the adjacent former Harriston trailer park property and local fair grounds.
White pointed out that with the work projected in the current plan, a total of $40 million will have been spent on capital projects in Minto over the past two terms of council.
“So that’s a lot of work and certainly we’ve been trying to put the ratepayers’ money to good work,” said White.
“We know that $7.7-million capital plan is ambitious, but if you take out two major projects it’s only $3.7 million,” he added.
“Bringing it Home” is the theme of Minto’s 2018 budget.
“We’re bringing home a responsible operating and capital budget using the current federal-provincial tools in place,” said White, noting the 2018 fiscal year represents a turning point, with municipal and provincial elections set to occur and a federal election in 2019.
“I think the next two years will be (about) where are we with the senior levels of government in the program that has been established,” he explained.
A public budget open house is planned for March 20 and the town anticipates passage of the budget bylaw in April.
