Regional budget time
Posted Jan 19, 2011 03:44:50 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Regional councillors will bury their heads in the books today as they begin the budget process for the coming year.
Right now, taxpayers are looking at a preliminary rate increase of 1.2 percent, which amounts to an extra 18 dollars a year for homeowners.
That figure does not include the cost of policing, which will be dealt with next month.
Regional councillor Tom Galloway says he’s pleased with the budget’s opening position, saying the rate increase as it stands is much lower than in years past.
So far, staff were able to shave 3 million dollars off the budget, after beginning with a 3.5 percent tax increase.
The region also saved more than 10 million dollars through provincial uploading for services like the Ontario Disability Support Program.
But Galloway admits there will be challenges ahead, as they deal with the cost of the green bin program, the new history museum and as they put money aside for the rapid transit system.
