The average residential property tax bill here will rise by about $84 in 2016.
The Town of Minto 2016 budget was approved at the March 29 council meeting.
While Wellington County has passed a budget with a 2.5 per cent levy increase, the town notes in a March 30 press release the county and the province have not yet set the final tax rates for upper-tier and education purposes.
“Assuming there are no significant changes in county tax policies or ratios and the education rate remains the same, the blended tax increase is expected to be about 2.9%,” the release states.
For the average residential ratepayer in a home valued at $202,000, this translates into about $84 annually. Of the increase, Minto’s share will be $43, the county’s share $29 and the education portion $12.
The local municipal share of the total property tax bill will increase 4.9% over 2015. The town will raise $4,579,101 through taxation this year – $215,875 more than in 2015, resulting in a local levy increase of 4.9%.
The budget, essentially unchanged from the draft presented at a public open house on March 15, includes over $7.2 million in capital work funded by a combination of $1.4 million in borrowing, $1.6 million in grants, $1.3 million in reserves and revenue, and the balance from other sources.
The budget anticipates a reduction in reserves of about $250,000.
“The budget shows council’s commitment to improving infrastructure and maintaining Minto as a desirable place for residents and businesses to prosper,” states Mayor George Bridge.
Councillor Mary Lou Colwell, finance committee chair, stated, “I am pleased that Minto is investing in the community and enhancing services to its citizens while operating in an efficient manner.”
The release states the 2016 budget theme – Stay the Infrastructure Course – “supported an aggressive capital plan to continue to address the town’s infrastructure deficit.”
Major 2016 capital projects include finishing reconstruction of Elora Street in Harriston from William to Arthur Street, for $945,000; two blocks of Ann Street in Clifford, $430,000; finishing James Street in Palmerston, $658,000; and resurfacing the last half of Minto 6th Line, $283,000.
Other projects include engineering design for reconstruction of Elora Street from Park Street to West Heritage Street in Clifford and several street reconstruction projects in Palmerston.
The budget also includes the purchase of a 2004 aerial truck and 2016 tanker for the Minto fire department at a combined cost $555,000.
Bridge noted the budget allows the town to take advantage of more stable grant funding from upper tiers.
“We’ve got very aggressive infrastructure spending … we’ve put ourselves in a position to do that. We knew the grants were going to start falling in,” said Bridge, adding the upper tier funding is imperative for municipalities.
“We’ve got nine per cent of the tax base and we get 60 per cent of the infrastructure, It doesn’t work on property taxes – on property tax alone, we can’t do it.”
Colwell was effusive in her praise for the budget work of treasurer Gordon Duff, CAO Bill White, town department heads and other staff.
“They know the council well enough and the Town of Minto well enough to know they’re not going to walk in here with a 20 per cent increase and have it accepted at council,” said Colwell. “When they bring a budget to council it’s a working copy … we can strictly go through it and look at any questions we’ve got on expenses, any questions we’ve got on capital projects and we know we’re not starting from scratch. When it’s presented to council it’s presented in a format you don’t need a math degree to understand.”
Duff replied, “Thank you chair Colwell, and we appreciate working with a rational council too, that’s very important.”
