Hawkesbury council wants administration to try for a lower tax rate for the 2025 budget.
“I would prefer 9.5 per cent,” said Councillor Antonios Tsourounakis. “That is solidly under 10 per cent.”
His comment followed Hawkesbury Treasurer Jonathan Timbers’ presentation of a second draft of the preliminary budget during the November 12 council session. The original budget draft featured a tax rate of 11.69 per cent to deal with all the necessary operation and capital costs for the municipality next year.
The revised budget lowered the tax rate to 9.99 per cent. Councillor Tsourounakis noted that for the average Hawkesbury resident that still means a 10 per cent increase in property taxes.
Mayor Robert Lefebvre reminded council that the increase of more than $560,000 in the OPP policing contract for next year already starts the 2025 budget at a 4.8-per-cent deficit that has to be handled by a tax rate increase. He also noted that the town needs to deal with some of its asset management plan (AMP) goals. Current provincial government guidelines now require all municipalities have plans in place for better planning on how they maintain their existing infrastructure and plan for future infrastructure improvements.
Councillor Yves Paquette agreed with that the 2025 budget has to deal with both the increase in policing costs and present infrastructure maintenance needs. But he still expressed concern about a tax rate increase that borders on 10 per cent.
“There is a lot of pressure being imposed on the province about policing costs,” said Mayor Lefebvre, noting lobbying efforts by Hawkesbury and other municipalities over local policing bills.
The revised preliminary budget proposes a one-per-cent reduction in next year’s infrastructure funding allocation. It also suggests cutting $31,000 in municipal expenses by turning the annual Hawkesbury Multicultural Festival from a three-day event to a two-day event.
Councillor Jeanne Charlebois asked if administration could try and bring the tax rate down to somewhere between 9.5 per cent and 9.9 per cent. Councillor Tsourounakis said he would be satisfied with a 9.75-per-cent rate increase. He also noted that the Ford government will also soon face a provincial election and might be inclined to offer some financial incentives to municipalities as part of a pre-election plan.
Council voted at the end of its discussion for administration to revise the 2025 budget further and bring the tax rate increase down to 9.5 per cent.
