A 50% property tax increase is unrealistic: Wilmot mayor

A day later and the 50.8 per cent tax increase proposed in the Wilmot Township 2025 Draft Budget is no less shocking.

The document was released yesterday and it is calling for the average homeowner in the township to pay an additional $48.35 per month — or $580 per year.

“On a first skim over, our operational is proposed at a 14 per cent increase. The amount that brings it up to that 50 per cent is a one-time injection of funds into our capital reserve plan,” said Wilmot Mayor, Natasha Salonen on The Mike Farwell Show. “It’s to essentially get our capital reserve back on track.”

Salonen said the situation facing the township now is the result of financial mismanagement by past governments when township officials depleted the reserves to supplement their budgets and keep property tax increases down.

While she believes in refilling the coffers, Salonen said it can’t be done all at once.

“I don’t think it’s realistic to be asking today’s taxpayer in Wilmot to solve twenty years of financial poor practices in one year. I think that we need to look at a long-term plan to get ourselves back to a good financial position.”

Council will have several opportunities to whittle down the proposed increase with budget debate sessions scheduled in December and January.

“Now it’s councils job to really work at the budget, to work with the general public and I hope that our community really engages through the process.” Salonen said, adding, “We are not going to be having 50 per cent as the final, if I have anything to do with it at least.”