Collingwood eyeing 1.5% tax increase

Collingwood residents may be looking at an approximately 1.5% tax increase.

Coming out of the Strategic Initiatives Standing Committee meeting March 17, Treasurer Marjory Leonard outlined a final proposed increase of $35.91 for a single residence of average assessed value $290,800 who would owe approximately $3,642 in taxes for 2015.

With the Simcoe County District School Board rate and estimated forthcoming Simcoe County rate, the town’s tax levy of 3.2% averaged across all assessed residences will work out to a 1.5% increase to Collingwood taxpayers, according to Leonard.

Collingwook seeks $39.6 million in user fees, grants and various additional revenue items and $27.7 million in property taxes for this year, in total equalling projected spending of $67.3 million.

These numbers include $23.1 million in capital projects including the widening and reconstruction of Hume St., a project with an estimated cost of $11.2 million.

The budget presentation this year is centred around a program-based budgeting approach which prioritizes discussions of spending necessities and saving possibilities over a line-by-line budget approach.

Chief Administrative Officer John Brown said the approach is useful and positive for council.

“This is kind of the big picture,” he told the Enterprise-Bulletin during a lunch recess.

The budget process now moves forward to a public meeting to be held March 28 at 9 a.m. at town hall with council ratification expected in early April.