Guelph-Eramosa landowners will see a $5.42 increase in township taxes per $100,000 of assessment this year.
Council passed the township’s 2017 budget at the Feb. 21 regular meeting.
Mayor Chris White confirmed the budget was largely unchanged from when council began discussions in early January.
Only the electronic sign requested by the fire department was removed from the budget.
“It’s pretty much a steady-as-you-go budget,” White said in an interview with the Advertiser on Feb. 24.
This year there is a 1.99% increase in the township tax levy, down from a 7.64% increase in 2016.
The 2017 budget is approximately $21.5 million, with about $6.4 million being raised through taxation, up from last year’s $6.1 million.
The township is continuing with its separate infrastructure renewal charge, which will raise $143,870 through taxes this year, a 0.44% increase over last year’s levy.
The township will also be receiving $205,742 in Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) formula-based funding.
The blended tax increase, when factoring in the Wellington County levy of 2.9% and no estimated increase in education taxes, is 2.17%.
For every $100,000 worth of assessment township taxes will increase $5.42 while the entire tax
bill will increase $23.50.
That means for the owner of an average home assessed at $450,000, township taxes will increase $24.28 while the entire tax bill, including county and education taxes, will increase $105.63.
“It’s a stay-the-course budget,” White said.
“We’re maintaining service levels and we worked hard to get the rate down because we know there’s a tax fatigue out there.”
Department expenditures include:
– planning and development: $248,256.
– general government: $1.8 million;
– protection to persons and property: $2.3 million;
– recreation and culture services: $3.1 million;
– transportation: $6.1 million; and
– environmental: $7.8 million.
Specific items included in the 2017 budget are:
– $3.1 million for the final year of a multi-year construction project to build the Alma Street wastewater pretreatment facility and trunk sewer upgrades;
– $1.2 million for the construction of the new pump house for the Seaton well in Rockwood;
– about $1 million in Rockmosa Park development projects;
– $925,000 for the reconstruction of Guelph Road 1 from Paisley Road to Wellington Road 124;
– $532,000 for bridge replacement on Township Road 3 north of Highway 7;
– $516,000 for Valley Road to Richardson Street watermain design, construction;
– $330,000 for the installation of LED lights in streetlights in Rockwood;
– $321,850 for the Rockmosa skate park;
– $174,000 for patching on a 2.82-km stretch of 7th Line north of Wellington Road 50; and
– $109,000 for the reconstruction of York Street in Eden Mills from Cedar Street to Chapel Street.
