The Town of Gravenhurst has approved its 2019 budget.
Council unanimously approved a 1.8 per cent increase, but the overall tax bill will stay the same thanks to a lowering of the education portion of the bill.
What it means for a person with a house worth $300,000 is an annual increase on the bill of $24.60.
The Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Services Val Sequeira explains how the town’s portion fits in the overall tax picture.
“The Town of Gravenhurst accounts for only 36% of an urban property tax bill and 47% of a rural property tax bill. After taking into account the District of Muskoka and the education share of the tax bill, Gravenhurst residents will see a consolidated tax rate on their property tax bills that is virtually unchanged from 2018,” said Sequeira.“The main reason for this is that the education share of the tax rate continues to decline across Muskoka.”
The budget covers a lot of important day-to-day services. Things like road maintenance, fire services, recreation, library and by-law operations are all paid through the taxes paid by residents.
At Wednesday’s Special Budget Meeting, Council unanimously approved the 2019 Operating Budget which will result in a 1.8% increase to the Town of Gravenhurst share of the tax rate for 2019.
First-year Mayor Paul Kelly understands the pressure the town is under to keep costs low, without affecting services.
“This year Council strived to provide in both the Capital and Operation Budgets decisions that would continue to support operational excellence at the same time being attentive to the effect on our taxpayers,” said Kelly. “The new Council includes five new members and there was much discussion about Council’s strategic priorities during budget deliberations – something we all believe is important.”
