North Bay city staff has tabled a tax levy of 5.7 percent or just over an additional $5 million to cover operating costs.
See: Municipal Budget North Bay
“One thing that we recognize and said right from day one, looking after our seniors is a priority. So, in that capital budget, it provides financing for the redevelopment of Cassellholme,” said Mayor Al McDonald.
“On the agencies, boards and commissions, I believe it is about two per cent of the 5.7 per cent. So, all our agencies, boards and commissions are feeling the upward pressure on their budgets. And the city proper on the operating side is just north of one or 1.5 per cent.”
Read the operating budget here.
Read the capital budget here.
The mayor said this is just a starting point.
“To say that it is going to be at 5.7 or 2 per cent, it is really up to council at the end of the day to go through the document and find savings. There is upward pressure, there is no question. When you talk about a $60 or $70 million bill for Cassellholme, that is definitely going to affect our budget.”
The breakdown in dollars and cents and what the bottom line looks like for taxpayers still needs to be calculated.
“Depending on your property values, if your property values went up, down or stayed the same, would just be a guess now on what it would mean to the average citizen,” said McDonald.
“We get Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding, there’s a growth factor that still has to be put in. But a lot of these suggestions and recommendations from council and the public will probably fall off the table too,” explained McDonald.
The operating budget as it stands includes a number of enhancements.
“We’re hearing that there are not enough by-law officers. You’re hearing innovation officer because one councillor really believes in innovation,” said McDonald who explained that many of the recommendations stem from public input at a budget open house.
“And we did take email suggestions, so we included those in the budget process, so that puts upward pressure on the budget. I think overall if you look at our budget, 2.5 per cent is capital and in that is Cassellholme.”
Councillors will need to sharpen their pencils and get out their erasers to trim the fat.
“At the end of the day council has to go through it and say, ‘Yes we can put that in’ or ‘No we’re going to have to take that out.’ But we haven’t even started the process. This is just the beginning.”
McDonald says the goal is to pass the budget December 12 which he says still gives plenty of time to schedule budget meetings.
