Net Clearview tax increase down to 3.36%

Clearview Township’s $101.4 million budget went to a public meeting Dec. 13 with a net tax increase of 3.36 per cent.
Staff and council worked away at fine-tuning the budget during two workshops held in November, finding savings to bring the increase in the municipal portion of the taxes from 9.14 per cent down to 5.55 per cent. The overall tax increase is further lowered by an estimated decrease in education taxes due to growth in other areas of the province.
As it stands, the proposed tax rate would cost property owners an additional $37.20 on every $100,000 of assessment, for a total of $1,144.48 per $100,000 of assessment in 2022.
Treasurer Kelly McDonald said property taxes account for 58 per cent of all revenues in Clearview Township,
In discussing the $70.2 million capital budget and $31.2 million in operating costs including OPP, NVCA, and taxes collected on behalf of the County of Simcoe and education taxes, Monday’s public meeting centred around a $50,000 expenditure for speed signs that was cut during budget deliberations.
The signs were to indicate lowered speeds on three township roads – portions of Nottawasaga Concession 10 North (Duntroon), Fairgrounds Road, and Riverside Drive/Concession 6 to 60 km/hr – as approved by council during a traffic workshop.
The decision to remove the signs from the budget essentially puts the speed reduction on hold and that’s what drew comments from residents in opposition to the deletion of the line item.
Amongst those making public comments was Concession 10 resident Jim Campbell and Martin Rydlo, owner of Duntroon Highlands golf facility, who have become concerned with the increase of through traffic using the route to get to Blue Mountain, as guided by GPS mapping.
“I can assure you speeding on Concession 10 poses a tremendous risk to residents and significant visitor traffic coming to Clearview’s highlands,” said Rydlo. “Between Duntroon Highlands Golf and Highlands Nordic, we represent one of Clearview’s top three tourism attractions. We are proud to represent and promote Clearview but we need the municipality’s help in making sure their experience on the roads continues to be a safe one.”
On the other hand, a group representing nine employers with a combined total workforce of 167, including Paul Van Staveren, Chris Millsap, Gord Zeggil and Judith Crawford who formed a delegation at a previous meeting, reiterated their opposition in writing to the speed reductions and their support for not only the budget item deletion but the reversal of the council decision.
Karen Crevier wrote in on behalf of a group of neighbours on Concession 6 (north of County Rd. 91) asking for the signs to be put back in the budget, offering to pitch in for the cost.
Council members will circle back on the budget at a third and final budget session in the New Year to consider comments and address other outstanding items.