Council set to approve 2015 budget

New Tecumseth Free Press Online

Essa council is scheduled to meet this afternoon at 3 pm to deal with the latest draft of its 2015 budget that if approved would increase the average tax bill for municipal purposes by $86.12, or 13.68 per cent over last year, on a residential property assessed at $281,391.

If a planned $200,000 trasfer to reserves for the Fire Rescue Pumper was removed, the tax impact could be lowered to about $54.22 or 8.62 per cent more than 2014.

The first draft presented to council in January, proposed a $201 average tax increase and levy of $6,272,306.

If no more further cuts are made, Essa would levy  $5,400,389. When the County’s average increase of $8.85 is factored in, along with an expected reduction in the education portion, the total average tax bill would be $2,111, an increase of about $89 or 4.39 per cent.