The Town of Huntsville has passed its 2024 budget, with a 10.68 per cent tax rate increase.
That means a home assessed at $300,000 would pay an extra $137 per year, down slightly from the 10.89 per cent and $140 increase proposed in December.
According to town staff, the higher-than-expected increase comes from higher material costs, inflation, population growth, and use of town facilities and services, as well as the loss of one-time COVID-19 funding.
The overall budget comes in at $21,991,439, up 13.31 per cent from $19,408,056 in 2023. That’s split between the roughly $15.1-million operating budget which includes costs such as maintenance and services, and the $6.9-million capital budget which is used to purchase new assets and replace the old.
The biggest ticket item is the $9.6-million set aside for roads. Notable projects include investments in multiple departments, such as $3.78-million for Community Services and more than $8-million for Operations and Protective Services. Parks projects are getting $1.75-million, fire projects $1.43-million, and $500,000 will go towards reconstructing the Old North Bridge and Williamsport Bridge.
The budget also includes the town’s $230,000 yearly commitment towards the local share of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s hospital redevelopment project.
Huntsville Town Council ratified the 2024 budget at its Jan. 29 meeting.
