ACTUAL I TÉ • NEWS
Russell budget goes under review
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
cover the township’s portion of federal and provincial cost-sharing grants for various major infrastructure projects or draws on reserve funds. Next year’s proposed budget has about the same amount of projected day-to-day operations expenses to cover as did the current municipal budget. "ey also have almost similar amounts, at about $1.5 mil- lion for 2016 compared to $1.4 million for 2015, required from the municipal tax levy. "is is the money which comes from pro- perty taxes. "e di!erence between the 2015 and 2016 budgets is the total infrastructure portion calculated. "e 2015 budget had a total infrastructure portion of about $22.4 mil- lion."e 2016 preliminary budget proposes a total infrastructure allocation of about $7.5 million. "at #gure includes the $1.5 million from the municipal levy. "e rest consists of any senior government grants or cost-sharing funds, necessary loans for the township, or draws on reserves. It also includes the budgets for water and sewer maintenance and improvement works. But those are paid through user fees, not through property taxes. "e annual budget for the township is de- signed to be “revenue-neutral” to reduce or eliminate the possibility of an actual increase to the property tax rate. Finance Director Richard Godin noted that, during the past #ve years, Russell Township has enjoyed steady economic growth, which has meant an overall increase in the provincial Muni- cipal Property Assessment Corp. (MPAC) evaluation of the municipality. “We automatically get some more (tax) revenue with assessments going up,” Godin told council members during the #rst day of the preliminary budget review. MPAC determines whether or not a par-
!e situation might change between now and the end of the year but, for now, it is a sure thing that the 2016 budget for Rus- sell Township will demand an increase in the amount of property taxes collected to cover the municipal levy. Whether or not that will translate into an increase for the individual homeowner’s tax bill next spring will depend on other factors. Both mayor and council spent two days working with sta! on a line-by-line review of the 2016 budget preliminary draft. "e pu- blic session Oct. 21 and 22 #nished up with several suggestions from council members for sta! to investigate before next month’s public review of the revised budget report. One certainty at the end of last "ursday’s review session is that the #nal budget that comes before council for approval before the end of year will mean an increase of from one to two per cent in the amount of taxes needed to meet both operating and capital works costs for 2016. "e preliminary draft of the budget calls for a 1.5 per cent increase in taxes. Mayor Pierre Leroux expressed con#dence that council and sta! can keep the increase to that limit to cover the township’s needs for next year. “At 1.5 per cent, I think it is very reaso- nable,” Mayor Leroux said during an inter- view following the end of the review session. "e total budget #gure for 2016 for Russell Township is about $28.9 million, almost half the $43.1 #gure for the total complete 2015 budget. "e past year’s budget was divided almost in half between day-to-day operations costs for programs and services and a huge capital works budget, much of it composed of either loans taken out to
Russell Township council members and administrative sta! spent two solid days on a line-by-line review, with highlight presentations, of the 2016 municipal budget preliminary draft. "e public session #nished with suggestions for changes to the proposed budget. A second review session to consider the revised budget draft is scheduled for early November.
ticular property has increased or decreased in value or if its overall value assessment remains unchanged from previous years. Changes to theMPAC value of a property are re$ected in the property owner’s #nal tax bill. "e projected 1.5 per cent increase for the property tax collection total means that, for the average home in Russell Township valued at $300,457, there would be a property tax increase of $24.38, assuming no change
in the MPAC evaluation. Besides its own property taxes, the town- ship is responsible for collecting the property taxes for the United Counties of Prescott- Russell, the various school districts opera- ting within the municipality, as well as the South Nation Conservation Authority and other agencies. "ose are all listed under separate headings on the property tax bills sent out in spring.
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La présidente de la Chambre de commerce de Prescott-Russell, Julie Brisson, souhaite la bienvenue à Benoit Savage, propriétaire de Joe Savage et Fils Abattoir Inc. de St-Albert. Depuis 1936, quatre générations se sont succédé à la barre de cette entreprise sous inspection gouvernementale qui se spécialise dans la transformation des viandes en vue de la consommation humaine. L’entreprise Joe Savage et Fils Abattoir est située au 113, rue Principale à St-Albert.
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284, CHEMIN ENTREPRISE, VARS ON 613-443-5050 • 800-446-7812 www.mariontirecenter.com
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