While the impact is small this year, councillors here are concerned about next year’s GRCA levy increase when revised reassessment figures are used.
Councillors reviewed the 2012 budget and levy proposed by the Grand River Conservation Authority.
Correspondence sent by assistant chief administrative officer Keith Murch indicated the draft budget was reviewed by the general membership in early January. It includes a $9,754,000 general levy that represents a 3% increase from 2011.
Councillor Wayne Stokley said while the overall the increase might be 3%, “from our standpoint it is closer to 2.5%.”
While he understood the reasons behind the increase, he referred to a funding model in which provincial funds appear to be decreasing. “Now they are only funding about 19% of the money coming in.”
Mayor Dennis Lever said he had not determined the amount of funding changing year to year. Instead he had looked at the overall amount.
“I am certainly concerned about information suggesting an average cost per resident of $10, but when you do the calculations for Puslinch, it is closer to $15.”
He said it comes back to the modified assessed values that are used for the calculations.
“The assessed values are very high in our township; therefore we get the costs that come along with this.”
Stokley is uncertain where council could go with the issue, but it seems to come up every time the budgets are sent. “It just seems to fall on deaf ears at this point, so I am at a loss as to where to go next.”
He had concerns with the amount of money being paid by Puslinch and the proportion being paid in relation to the decreasing amount of provincial funding.
“Mr. Murch and I have exchanged a number of emails,” said Lever.
He was trying to find the rationale behind the costs.
He said Murch clearly explained the process and one of the issues is the GRCA figures do not use modified assessments but rather the total overall current assessment.
Typically properties would have the costs phased in, but that is not the case with the GRCA.
And, with the last reassessment, there was a large increase, Lever said.
“We saw the brunt of that a few years ago. I believe it was 24%. Now we are about to go through a new reassessment with [the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation]. Our increase is only 2.5% this year; it’s next year I’m worried about.”
He shared Stokley’s concerns about funding for capital and special projects.
“But some of these projects are really required,” Lever added.
Stokley wondered if council should be asking the authority to consider phasing in assessment increases.
Lever stated he assumes the process used by the local conservation authority is the same one used around the province.
The GRCA meeting to adopt the budget is on Feb. 24.
