Town’s 2023 budget sees three per cent tax increase

By Ron Giofu

Town council has deliberated its 2023 budget after several marathon sessions around the council table. Elected officials debated the operating budget last Tuesday night and all-day last Wednesday while capital budget deliberations were this past Monday night and resumed Tuesday.

At the conclusion of the operating budget deliberations last Wednesday, the proposed tax rate increase had been trimmed to roughly three per cent, down from the starting point of 4.23 per cent. That figure did not change after a four-hour debate Monday night during the first session on the capital budget, nor did it change when budget deliberations wrapped up Tuesday.

The budget is scheduled to be formally passed March 13.

Mayor Michael Prue said “we have done the right thing by this budget” and reduced the budget. He said they added and subtracted from the budget, and thanked administration for their “Herculean efforts” during the process. The three per cent increase translates into a $78 increase on a home valued at $250,000.

Several big ticket items were approved as part of the capital deliberations, with the bulk of those approvals to come from one of the town’s reserve funds and grants.

The bridge maintenance program will be funded to the tune of $200,000 while $290,000 will go towards a surface treatment program for three rural roads. A bridge on Concession 8 North will be replaced at a budgeted amount of $1.65 million while $3.9 million was earmarked for the rehabilitation of Concession 2 North, including bike lanes. Councillor Diane Pouget asked about timelines, given the fact residents in that area were inconvenienced for two years due to the bridge over the Long Marsh Drain taking a long time to repair.

Continued on Page 4