Budget starts with 3.2% increase
Clearview Township council tackled the 2015 municipal budget Dec. 8 as its first order of business for the new term of council.
During the first budget workshop, council members reviewed the budget proposed by staff, which will be discussed, revised and finally approved after several more meetings and public consultation.
Township staff has drafted a budget with a working target that would require a 3.22 per cent tax increase, once county and school board taxes are factored in.
That would translate into an estimated increase of $91 based on a home assessed at $255,783, the average in Clearview Township.
The estimated residential tax rate increase includes an estimated municipal tax levy increase of 5.18 per cent (6.44 per cent municipal less 1.26 per cent policing), an estimated Simcoe County tax levy increase of 2 per cent, and no increase estimated for the school board.
Staff also proposed a 2016 budget with a potential 3.09 per cent increase, or a $90 increase for the average home.
“Two of the main factors behind the increase are a large reduction in a long-standing provincial grant (the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund) that helps rural municipalities operate and increases to municipal reserves to replace aging infrastructure,” said treasurer Edward Henley.
In addition to the $183,000 reduction in OMPF funding, the main factors for the tax increase are due to a $234,200 increase in transfers to reserves, $60,882 for new staffing and a reduction in reliance on a $243,191 surplus last year.
As for new staff, a full-time communications and marketing coordinator is proposed in the budget, starting July 1, 2015 and the addition of an economic development officer is proposed the following July.
Mayor Chris VanderKruys invites all Clearview residents to contact him and the other members of council to offer feedback and advice.
“We want to hear from you. Clearview council wants to ensure that Clearview residents have a say in how their tax dollars are spent, what services are important to them and where they would like to see savings,” said Vanderkruys.
Another budget workshop is planned for Jan. 12 and 26 before going to a public meeting on Feb. 9. A final budget workshop is scheduled for March 2 before going up for council approval that same evening.
