County of Simcoe asking city for 0.5% more

By Bob Bruton, Barrie Examiner

Just half a tick more is all the County of Simcoe is asking from Barrie’s property taxpayers this year.

The 2015 county budget lists Barrie’s share as 0.5% more than in 2014, to $22.27 million from $22.16 million, or an additional $114,000.

County officials presented the budget to Barrie city council on Wednesday night.

“We do appreciate the pressures, especially on the paramedics,” said Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman of the cost of services provided.

The county provides paramedic (land ambulance) services to the city, Ontario Works (welfare), non-profit social housing, children and community services, and long-term-care and seniors services, as well as the Simcoe County Museum and Archives.

These services, better known as the operating budget, are increasing by 2.2% or $419,000 this year, to $19.7 million from almost $19.3 million in 2014.

The largest increase is for paramedic services, another $795,000 this year. It adds 16 full-time equivalent staff and two ambulances to deal with increasing calls; of the total calls, 36% are in Barrie.

Lehman pointed out that ambulance calls have increased by about 30% in the last three years.

“So it’s time to add some paramedics and ambulances,” he said.

Jane Sinclair, the county’s general manager of social and community services, said that level of increase in ambulance call volumes is unsustainable in the long-term.

Coun. John Brassard said it’s difficult to ask Barrie taxpayers to pay for a service that’s on an unsustainable path.

“It’s not unlike the police,” he said. “You (paramedics) see a lot of the same people all the time.

“The system is open to a lot of abuse.”

“The health-care needs are not being met in the community,” Sinclair said.

Paramedic services are budgeted to cost city taxpayers almost $5.9 million this year.

Non-profit social housing will also cost more this year, another $203,000.

While the Ontario Works caseload this year is projected to be consistent with 2014, the budget is being helped by an increase in provincial funding – a savings of $628,000 this year.

“The population is growing, but the caseload is not growing,” Lehman said, noting Barrie is gaining 1,000 to 1,500 new residents annually.

But people are still having trouble finding jobs.

“We believe the (economy’s) recovery has been slower than was hoped for,” said Terry Talon, the county’s general manager of social and community services.

But the county’s capital budget is dropping by $304,900 to almost $2.6 million from nearly $2.9 million.

Most of these capital savings are in the Simcoe County Housing Corp.

Simcoe County council has already approved a $432-million budget for 2015 which focuses on major capital expenditures, including Simcoe County roads and related infrastructure, housing and facilities.

The city’s contribution to the 2015 county budget will be considered during its annual operating/capital budget talks in March.

This process begins with a 3.7% increase in property taxes for Barrie homeowners, which includes a 1% infrastructure renewal levy. The budget provides not only city services like snowplowing and emergency protection, but a new five-year capital plan and a five-year capital forecast for 2020-2024.

On the typical residential Barrie property assessed at $282,000, the 2014 taxes were $3,634. With a 3.7% increase this year, that would add $135, bringing the total to $3,769 in 2015.

Adding the $135 to the water ($7) and sewer ($20) rate increases means the typical Barrie homeowner will be paying another $162 this year.

The city’s formal budget talks are scheduled to begin March 2.