• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

County budget to raise average tax bill by two per cent

By
In Simcoe County
Nov 27th, 2013
0 Comments
1297 Views

New Tecumseth Free Press November 26, 2013

Simcoe County councillors met this morning to approve a 2014 budget draft that was left largely untouched as tabled by staff last month, which will add $6.11 to the property tax bill per $100,000 of assessment, a two per cent increase over last year.

The budget proposes to spend $403 million, but projects its revenues at $394 million, including $136.2 million raised by taxation. The two per cent increase would raise $2.7 million, and the remaining shortfall would come from a $6.7 million increase in unfinanced development charges.

Among the big ticket expenditures in 2014:

• Ontario Works, $80 million;

• Long Term Care, $47 million;

• Transportation and Engineering, $51 million;

• Solid Waste Management, $45 million;

• Social Housing, $47 million;

• Paramedic Services, $41 million; and

• Children and Community Services, $32 million.

Among the capital projects planned in New Tecumseth, which contributes about $11 million in taxes to the County, includes a $3.3 million replacement of the bridge crossing the Boyne River on King Street (Cty Rd 15). It’s spread over 2014 and 2015. There’s also money to continue with developing a Tottenham bypass targeting the 5th Line, which earlier this month, New Tecumseth council set the process to upload the road to the County. New paramedic stations in Alliston and Beeton continue to be carryover projects, with construction expected to start in the fall of 2014.

Simcoe County council approves 2-per-cent increase

By John Edwards Collingwood Connection November 27 2013

Simcoe County residents are looking at a 2-per-cent increase in their county tax bill next year. County council approved its budget Tuesday, which will see residential property taxes increase $6.11 for every $100,000 of assessed value.

Meeting the varied needs of residents while remaining fiscally responsible is always county council’s number one priority,” Warden Cal Patterson said. “The 2014 budget not only ensures the continued investment in social and community services, health services and capital infrastructure improvements, but goes a long way toward fostering our vital municipal and community partnerships to ensure these needs are met.”

The $403-million budget includes $80 million for Ontario Works, $47 million for long-term care, $51 million for transportation and engineering, $45 million for waste management, $47 million for social housing, $41 million for paramedic services and $32 million for children and community services.

The county is spending about $45 million on capital projects, the largest of which is improvements to its Brooks Street seniors complex in Barrie, creating 54 affordable housing units. The county also contributed $500,000 to Georgian College, $1 million to Lakehead University in Orillia and $4 million to the Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit.

Leave a Reply

Commenters must post under real names. AWARE Simcoe reserves the right to edit or not publish comments. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *