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Erin budget deliberation starts with 4.5 per cent tax increase

Staff sets the table for upcoming 2023 budget deliberations
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Keegan Kozolanka/GuelphToday file photo

ERIN — Municipal taxes in Erin could jump as high as 4.5 per cent increase in 2023.

Last year's budget saw a 2.9 per cent increase.

This does not include the county portion of the local tax rate.

That's the starting figure staff will present to Erin Council on Thursday.

“The results of the 1st Draft 2023 Budget recommends a tax rate increase of 4.5% ($355k increase in total tax levy),” states the staff report council.

The report includes a proposed operating budget increase of $583,648.

The report details items that either need to be bought, replaced or completed.

Some of those include: a culvert, fire department tanker and tractor all need to be replaced. A sidewalk plow and a snow plow must be purchased. IT systems need upgrading.

The report lists principles that council can use to be efficient and effective with their spending, including prioritizing services to keep, based on the importance of services.

“Identify services that offer the highest value or potentially eliminate lower value services within the base budget,” the report says.

Others include searching for things that have been spent on in the past which are no longer critical (“Question historical spending and find efficiencies”) and be realistic with what expenses will cost (“Understand and budget for the full cost of services”).

In 2022, the net total operating budget was $13,240,967. The proposed 2023 budget rose to $13,824,615.

“The outcomes of meetings and discussions will further refine these results," the report says.

Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.