January 28, 2019 · 0 Comments
By Jasen Obermeyer
Although Town staff still needs to trim some nickels and dimes, Mono’s budget for 2019 will see an inflation-level increase of 2.2 per cent in the township’s portion of property tax bills.
At this past Tuesday’s (Jan. 22) council meeting, the main topic was approval of the budget, presented by Treasurer Les J. Halucha. Council has been hearing costs and doing preliminary budget discussions before the election, hearing from all the town’s department heads. Draft budget discussions began during their last meeting at the beginning of the month.
Total expenditures for 2019 are projected at $11,916,922 against total revenues of $10,998,726, leaving a $918,196 shortfall to be trimmed.
The expenditures for the town were broken down into each of their component parts. Transportation accounted for the most, at 44.61 per cent. Protection services will cost 21.73 per cent, while general government services are at 16.03 per cent. Recreation and cultural services expenditures will account for 8.22 per cent, while planning and development account for 8.29 per cent. Environmental services and health and social services represent the least, at 0.72 per cent.
It was noted by Mr. Halucha that projected inflation will be 2.2 per cent, a bit more than the 1.8% projected n growth, noting the last time growth was less than inflation was in 2014. “In 2019, we’re experiencing that again.”
It was noted that the town’s OPP costs would be up slightly at three per cent, while billing by conservation authorities has seen an average increase of 4.9 per cent per year since 2011.
Several options were laid out for council, including adding the entire $918,196 shortfall to the tax levy, meaning a 14.52 per cent tax increase, accepting a higher-than-2.2 per cent inflationary increase, phasing in or eliminating capital projects financed by the tax levy, reducing or phasing in budgeted contributions to reserves, but Council instead stuck to the desired choice of trimming the shortfall to keep with the inflation increase.
Council then reviewed the entire budget proposal, clause by clause, with most members agreeing on where to cut and how much.
It is expected they will finalize their budget at their next meeting, and pass it as a bylaw.