Councillor’s Corner by Michelle Graham The Municipality of Central Elgin is navigating the 2026 budget process. Under Ontario’s Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, the Province expanded ‘strong mayor’ powers to Central Elgin, effective May 1, 2025. These powers allow the mayor to formally propose the municipal budget, subject to limited Council modification, and allow the mayor to veto Council amendments. I have been a strong voice against Strong Mayor powers for just these reasons. In 2023, 2024 and 2025, Central Elgin approved its municipal budget with a zero percent municipal tax rate increase and still accumulated over a $2 million surplus. I personally sat with our treasurers on multiple days and for many hours each year to ensure fiscal responsibility and to reduce what I considered past wasteful spending. This allowed for a fiscally responsible budget that each year saw no increase in taxes and the $2 million surplus to be put into our reserves (savings). I consider this a huge success for our municipality and our taxpayers, as it was the primary campaign promise that I ran under during the 2022 election after listening to the most common complaint from residents. The 2026 budget process will continue through public consultation, committee review, and Council deliberations before final adoption, so please do contact your councillors if you wish to verbalize your concerns or your agreement with the proposed 2% tax increase. I look forward to hearing from you. On a lighter note, I want to congratulate The Village People Com- mittee for another success in the December Reindeer Round-up. It was a great day of joy, laughter, shopping and community spirit for all who participated!
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Port Stanley Villager • Jan-Feb 2026 • Page 5
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