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Woolwich council approves budget with an 8.68% tax hike
Steve Kannon Observer Staff
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CHANGES TO THE 2023 budget will see Woolwich residents paying a stillhigher tax increase this year.
While some councillors looked for savings on what was originally an 8.5 per cent hike to Woolwich property taxes, when the dust settled Tuesday night the new increase was 8.68 per cent. That was the result of adding in new spending for equity, diversity and inclusion measures on top of some $17,000 in support for the Elmira BIA previously agreed to.
The measures will add $86.11 to the bill of an average home in the township, based on an assessed value of $418,000.
There was some paring back on the capital side, however, as councillors voted to defer the Peel Street bridge reconstruction project for a year, setting aside plans to borrow $2.75 million this year. The township will also review the viability of installing an electric-vehicle charging station in St. Jacobs. None of the changes to the capital budget have an impact on this year’s tax levy increase.
Council did discuss putting off the hiring of three new positions this year, including an engineering projects supervisor, a new planner and a fire training officer, the latter two of which could have lowered the tax impact by more than a percentage point, but ultimately opted to go ahead.
The push to lower the tax rate was led by Coun. Eric Schwindt and Coun. Bonnie Bryant, both of whom ended up voting against the 2023 budget over the high increase.
“In support of my constituents, I’m not comfortable with 8.5,” she said of the original target,
Leah Gerber
Observer Staff
A GROUP OF ABOUT TEN people protested outside Kitchener-Conestoga MPP
Mike Harris’ Elmira office on Monday, saying that Harris and his staff have barely responded to their emails and phone calls.
“Have you seen Mike?
We can’t find him,” said one protestor to a passerby walking on the sidewalk.
Neil Lackey, a participating protestor, said he emailed Harris 18 times in four years, and only received one response. The answer did not address any of his questions specifically, said Lackey.
Lackey said he asked questions about a variety of subjects, including Bills 31, 23, and 39. “I got one
