Councillors Corner by Michelle Graham Let’s Talk Taxes The Municipality of Central Elgin (MCE) is made up of nearly 15000 residents, with the 2021 census numbers reporting approximately 6000 households. MCE consists of the communities of Belmont, Dexter, Lawton’s Corners, Lyndale, Lynhurst, Mapleton, New Sarum, Norman, Port Stanley, Sparta, Union, Whites station and Yarmouth Centre. MCE is a lower-tier municipality under the upper tier of Elgin County, which is comprised of 6 other municipalities plus MCE: West, Elgin, Dutton/Dunwich, Southwold, Aylmer, Malahide and Bayham. The upper tier of Elgin County has an approximate budget of 101 million (77 million in operating and 25 million in capital costs). Operating costs are moneys allocated for the day-to-day running of the corporation. Capital costs are the projects being completed and assets such as roadwork, bridges, new vehicles etc. In MCE, our tax levy brought in approximately $35.1 million for 2024. From this amount, $14.1 million is forwarded to Elgin Country and to the Thames Valley District School Board, $3.7 million, which leaves $17.2 million for the running of MCE. So we are required to give more than half of the tax levy to Elgin County and TVDSB combined. Since we were elected two years ago in 2022, we have been able to balance the budget in MCE with no tax increases and still have surpluses of approximately $1.3 million in 2023 and estimated in 2024 at $700,000. As such, we have still saved approximately $2 million to put into our reserves (savings accounts), even with back-to-back 0% increases in 2023 and 2024. This illustrates the hard collaboration work that Council and staff have achieved to ensure fiscal responsibility in these difficult times where our food banks have the most clients in the history of local food banks, and people are struggling to pay bills, rent and mortgages. Now let’s take a snapshot of Elgin County tax rates and remember Elgin County tax money is your tax money (along with that of the other lower tiers) coming from your tax levy on your tax bill. If the current approximate 2.9% tax increase is passed for 2025, the county tax rate will have risen 12.13 % over just 4 years. The question I ask myself is: Why can Elgin County staff not balance their budget without continually raising taxes? MCE council and staff have been diligent in balancing its budget, keeping taxes stable, and still managing to save significant amounts for reserves. Even in the face of increased
demand on local services, the Municipality has worked hard to avoid increasing taxes. This fiscal responsibility shows a clear effort to balance the needs of the community with the economic realities many residents are facing. The Elgin County tax rate increase of 12.13% over the past four years is definitely notable. It’s helpful for residents to understand that their county tax portion is a significant part of their total property tax levy. The increase, if it passes, will affect MCE residents’ overall tax burden. How do you think this increase might affect the local com- munity, especially in light of the financial struggles many are experiencing? Do you think there are other ways to manage costs or service delivery without raising the tax rate? Do you think Elgin County truly needs to create six new positions and increase spending in most of the departments? Elgin Country Council wants to hear from you. Get engaged: attend budget meetings and reach out to Elgin Country Council members. An engaged community is a stronger and more resilient community.
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Port Stanley Villager • March 2025 • Page 3
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