Essa proposes 4.89% tax levy increase

ESSA – While an increase to next year’s municipal levy is unavoidable, Essa Mayor Terry Dowdall said council will do what it can to soften the blow to residents when budget talks resume this week.

The increase, which includes assessment growth but not Simcoe County and education taxes, would work out to another $37.02 onto the annual tax bill of the average homeowner.Recently council was presented with the 2014 draft budget, which includes a proposed 4.89 per cent levy increase.

“Staff did a good job to come to the 4.89, they didn’t come to the table with an unrealistic number where we had to sit there and really number crunch,” Dowdall said. “It’s a good starting point. Now council will have to look at what areas of service to maintain, what capital projects we need to do, what roads projects there are. It’s still fairly early, but I think council is pleased with that initial opening.”

The proposed total township levy is set at $4.7 million, an increase of $361,000 in expenditures over the 2013 budget of $4.3 million.

Dowdall said the township continues to grapple with rising expenses it cannot rein in, such as policing and a liability insurance increase. He said a decrease of about $250,000 in transfer payments from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund is another big hit.

“A lot of the things are out of the control of the municipality,” he said. “Basically it’s the same pressure people are having on their houses, whether it is hydro, insurance, same thing. I find budgeting gets harder every year because of those costs.”

Dowdall said a big portion of next year’s budget will be devoted to road improvement projects, with one of the bigger projects up for consideration being the construction of the 9th Line between the 5th and 10th sideroads.

While there are several new capital projects to consider, Dowdall said council is going to be more focused on how to make the most of the township’s existing facilities, like the arenas and libraries.

“We want to use more of what we have and offer programs for seniors or younger children,” he said.

Dowdall said council has committed to keeping the old Angus library and is optimistic a new tenant will come forward to breathe new life into the building, using a medical office as an example.

He said the township remains pleased with how its bus transit partnership with the City of Barrie has turned out and that council will consider extending the service during evenings.

“We got feedback from the public and a lot of them want a later run at night so they are not stuck in Barrie, like if they happen to go to school there,” he said. “So hopefully there will be a few extra dollars for that.”

The next budget meeting is this Wednesday (Dec. 18) at 1 p.m. at the Essa Administration Centre, 5786 County Road 21 in Utopia.