Local taxpayers will probably see an increase of around 15 per cent in the local tax levy when the township’s 2017 budget is finally passed.
However the township is also considering implementing a special levy to cover infrastructure costs.
Mapleton council held its second special budget meeting on Dec. 22. Calculations presented by staff at the meeting called for a 2017 tax levy of $6,789,114, up by $906,878 or 15.42 per cent, from the budgeted 2016 levy of $5,882,236.
The levy hike would result in a 6.98% increase in the township’s tax rate. However, when combined with Wellington County and provincial education tax rates (assuming last year’s rates), the blended tax rate increase would be 2.47%.
Those numbers would result in a total property tax increase of $95 on a residence assessed at $300,000. If passed as estimated, the levy increase would be smaller than the 17.29% township levy increase approved for 2016, which resulted in a $121 property tax increase on a $300,000 assessment.
While some items were “trimmed” at the Dec. 22 meeting and further discussions are planned, Mayor Neil Driscoll said he doesn’t expect the final figures to change substantially.
“It’s not going to change a whole lot,” the mayor stated.
Excavator cut
One proposal that is being cut from the budget is the acquisition of an excavator. Council tentatively approved the purchase of an excavator and the hiring of a full-time operator at the Nov. 18 meeting. However the approval was dependent on budget discussions.
The annual cost above the current staffing level to add an operator for an additional seven months (the position was to be combined with a seasonal public works position), including benefits and salary, was estimated at $43,000 and the cost of an excavator and a float at $200,000.
A net savings of between $10,000 and $12,000 annually (including both equipment and staffing) over contracting out excavator work was anticipated.
“Council just didn’t feel we had enough information yet to be leaving it in the budget for this year,” said Driscoll.
He added a funding crunch, combined with the need for a major street construction project in Moorefield, means there aren’t a lot of major capital projects planned at this point. The draft capital budget includes $1.2 million for McGivern Street improvements in Moorefield.
“That’s the frustrating part; the only key capital projects we’re going to be doing is the Moorefield main street and the drainage issues there, in conjunction with the county,” said Driscoll. “So there’s a lot of road projects that are again being held off.”
Driscoll indicated he wasn’t optimistic about prospects for a proposal to impose development charges on agricultural construction, proposed as a means of raising cash for roads and infrastructure.
“We looked at this, development charges for agricultural buildings, and obviously there’s a lot of people speaking out against it,” said Driscoll.
“So to make a decision like that I’m not getting enough people calling me saying ‘That’s a great idea. This is good a way to help build your rural roads.’”
In the face of heavy opposition from local farmers and area farm organizations, Driscoll said council is “split” on the proposal at this point.
“The way I’m seeing it is, it probably won’t go ahead.”
A public meeting on the issue is scheduled for Jan. 27 at 7pm at the Maryborough Community Centre in Moorefield.
“Hopefully enough of the public will stand up and say this is the way we should be paying for our rural roads, but I don’t see it happening,” said Driscoll.
“Honestly, there’s farmers out there that have verbally said to me this isn’t a bad idea,” said the mayor. However, when he has asked such supporters to speak out on the idea the response has been, “No. No. I’m not putting my name out there on that.”
Special levy proposed
Driscoll said he has asked council to consider the idea of a special infrastructure levy in order to alleviate the cash crunch.
“I asked council what they thought we would need to spend yearly on roads, for our next budget meeting.”
Driscoll said that type of planning is needed to determine if a special levy could be part of the solution.
“It’s hard to say that we need a levy when we don’t know, should we spend a million a year on roads or $200,000 a year on roads?”
The special levy would be similar to a 2% levy for bridge projects imposed in Centre Wellington in 2015, which the township hopes it will be able to drop by 2022.
However Driscoll noted the difference in population and assessment means Mapleton couldn’t raise as much cash in this fashion as its neighbour.
“Centre Wellington could raise it one per cent and raise a lot more … (Mapleton’s) one per cent is only $45,000,” he noted.
Driscoll said council is planning to have one more special budget meeting before hosting a public open house on the budget. While no date has yet been set for the open house, Driscoll said council hopes to pass the budget by the end of February.
