"$56"- * 54 r /&84
Counties start annual budget wrestling match
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
sien, UCPR chief administrator, reminded them that the report includes all items that the mayors have asked, over the past year, for consideration in the 2018 budget. “If you took out everything council asked us to put in,” Parisien explained, “you’d be at zero (tax rate increase).” “It’s not the end of the world,” saidMayor Desjardins, adding that borrowing for some wish list items could avoid the need for a 5.4 per cent rate hike. “I’m prepared to borrow, if it’s not big amounts,” he added, “and it can be paid off over a few years.” “I won’t support a budget that creates debt,” argued Mayor Robert Kirby of East Hawkesbury. “It goes against mymentality. You can borrow today, but you have to pay for it later.” Most of council agreed in the end to have administration review the draft and present a follow-up report at the Oct. 25 regular ses- sion, with recommendations to bring the tax rate increase down to 3.5 per cent.
It’s coming out of the corner weighing in at almost five-and-a-half per cent but the eight mayors on counties council hope to tag-team wrestle the tax rate increase for the 2018 Prescott-Russell budget down to three-and-a-half. Julie Ménard-Brault, finance director for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR), presented counties council We- dnesday with a summary of the first draft of the 2018 budget. “It is a budget that has everything that council asked for or approved,” Ménard- Brault said. “I think it’s a good first draft.” The one thing all eight mayors did not like about the report was the 5.4 per cent tax rate increase that came with the budget draft. Based on provincial property assessment guidelines for 2017, homeowners in Pres- cott-Russell pay $403.36 for every $100,000 worth of assessed value of their house and property. If the preliminary counties bud- get report was approved as is without any changes, that would result in a $21 increase for every $100,000 assessed value to the UCPR portion of the property tax bill for an average home in Prescott-Russell. During the half-hour discussion that fol- lowed Ménard-Brault’s report summary, Russell TownshipMayor Pierre Leroux noted that council needs to maintain perspective on how a 5.4 per cent increase in the tax rate
Les maires de Prescott-Russell ont un vrai défi devant eux avec le budget de 2018. Un rapport préliminaire indique une augmentation possible de 5,4 % du taux de l’impôt foncier pour l’année prochaine s’il n’y a aucun changement dans les éléments du rapport préliminaire. Le conseil des comtés a demandé à l’administration un rapport révisé montrant comment obtenir une augmentation maximale de 3,5 % du taux d’imposition. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
for the average homeowners wouldmean in the real world if it were spread out over a year. “We’re looking at the cost of two large coffees amonth,” he said, adding that there is room tomake adjustments to the budget to reduce the impact, though some kind of tax rate increase is unavoidable for the counties after the past few years of avoiding the need for a rate increase. “Five-point-four per cent is a scary num- ber when you look at it just on the surface,” Leroux admitted. “But previous (counties) councils decided to stay at zero per cent (rate increase) at all costs, so this is where we are now.” Clarence-Rockland Mayor Guy Des-
jardins objected to a possible 5.4 per cent increase to the counties tax rate, fearing the possible impact on his own municipa- lity’s future growth potential. He noted that Clarence-Rockland is next door to Orléans and competes with that Ottawa suburb for both new residential and commercial deve- lopment. Hawkesbury Mayor Jeanne Charlebois agreed that the preliminary budget report does include every item on the counties’ wish list but she objected to the idea of a large tax rate increase to pay for those wishes. “I still find five per cent too high,” she said. “I cannot support that.” BothMénard-Brault and Stéphane Pari-
613 446-5188 814, St-Joseph Rockland, ON K4K 1L5
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • INSTITUTIONAL • PRE-ENG. BUILDING • DESIGN BUILD • PROJECT MANAGEMENT • FULLY BILINGUAL
www.dcoteconstruction.com
SAVE BEFORE THE SNOW FALLS. 7538#40#=5019=$.19'45=1(('4=126+/#.=2'4(14/#0%'= in any environment. Powered by Husqvarna engines, they feature intuitive controls, ergonomic designs and are backed by an industry leading warranty. '=%#0 6=5612=9+06'4=(41/=%1/+0)@=$76=9'=%#0= *'.2=;17=5#8'=$'(14'=+6=&1'5?
YOUR FIRST CHOICE FOR FARM OR FOREST
MAIL IN REBATE 75 $
SAVE UP TO 15% * 15% on all 400 series SAVE
For a limited time we’re offering: REBATES UP TO $50 0% FINANCING WARRANTIES UP TO 4 YEARS *
$ 75 MAIL IN REBATE ON XP PROFESSIONAL SAW PLUS GET 2 EXTRAS CHAIN AND A CARRYING CASE .
HUSQVARNA 400 SERIES
$50 MAIL-IN REBATE
HUSQVARNA 200 SERIES FROM $1,099.99 MSRP
Chainsaws HUSQVARNA 550 XP
ª== 91A56#)'= system ª==4+%6+10=&+5%= transmission ª=19'4=56''4+0) ª==#0&.'=*'+)*6= adjustment
$50 MAIL-IN REBATE
562 XP 390 XP 395 XP
HUSQVARNA 300 SERIES FROM $1,999.99 MSRP ª== 91A56#)'= system ª==;&4156#6+%= drive system ª=19'4=56''4+0) ª=='#8;A&76;= auger housing
$ 429
MODEL 435 STARTING AT
MSRP
$25 MAIL-IN REBATE
HUSQVARNA 100 SERIES FROM $529.99 MSRP
Husqvarna 400 series saws have always met the demands for all-round saws for land and home owners. They offer professional features for exceptional results. Visit your local Husqvarna dealer this Fall to receive 15% savings on select 400 series chainsaws.
ª== 1/2#%6= design ª== (r%+'06=
rubber auger ª= .'%64+%=56#46'4 ª= 4)101/+%=*#0&.'
For more information visit your local Husqvarna dealer or husqvarna.ca and connect with us online.
Like us on Facebook or visit rocklandwheels.ca 2836 Chamberland, Rockland • 613-446-1188
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker