EAST HAWKESBURY COUNCIL FACES BUDGET CHALLENGE "$56"-*5 4r/&84
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN news@eap.on.ca
East Hawkesbury Township faces a real challenge with the 2025 budget. Director General Luc Lalonde presented a summary of the draft budget report during the October 15 council. The dismaying results include a 12-per-cent tax increase unless council and administration can find a way to make some serious cuts in expenses. “Let’s face it,” said Mayor Robert Kirby. “We’re not raising the tax (rate) to 12 per cent.” Council members spent the last 20 minutes of their meeting going over some of the details in the 2025 budget preliminary report. Deputy-Mayor Jacques Tranchemon- tagne noted that the increase in policing costs projected for the township for 2025 is responsible for almost a third of the esti- mated 12-per-cent tax increase. DG Lalonde noted that in past years the township has drawn on some of its reserves to reduce some of the expenses for previous budgets. The question is whether or not council can look again at this option for the 2025 budget. Deputy-Mayor Tranchemontagne indicated he might be willing to support an eight-per- cent tax increase if that was possible to achieve. Mayor Kirby did not agree. “I would rather six per cent,” he said. Administration staff will review all depart- ment expenses again and present a second report on possible revisions to the 2025
Le conseil municipal du canton de Hawkesbury Est fait face à un véritable défi avec le budget municipal de l’an prochain. Un rapport préliminaire sur l’ébauche du budget 2025 indique qu’une augmentation de taxes de 12 % est nécessaire pour couvrir toutes les dépenses d’exploitation et d’immobilisation de la municipalité. (Photo d’archive)
The mayor noted that in past years the township has been able to depend on recei- ving some extra funding aid from either the provincial or federal governments for some of its capital expenses. But he is not hopeful about that this time. i&WFSZCPEZJTTRVFF[FE uIFTBJE What he hopes now is that council and administration can find ways to make
budget during next month’s council session. During a later phone interview Mayor Kirby agreed that the 2025 budget will be the most challenging that he has ever had to deal with during his 20 years as mayor of &BTU)BXLFTCVSZ5PXOTIJQ “This is certainly a budget that we are going to have to study hard,” he said. “It’s something we’ve never had to face.”
significant cuts in the township’s opera- tion and capital expenses for next year to reduce any possible tax increase for the 2025 budget. “If we can do it for four per cent,” Mayor Kirby said. “But six per cent is my increase limit. If it’s eight per cent, I won’t be voting for it.”
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