North Bay City Council to vote on tax increase, 3.23% possible
City council in North Bay is closer to ironing out a final budget for 2023 and it looks as if it will mean a 3.2 per cent tax hike for property owners.
North Bay's operating budget for this year is more than $153 million and the city’s budget chief, Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield, said all efforts were made to avoid a big tax hike.
"When we were looking at the budget and going line by line, what we were seeing was a lot of the costs where the city was putting in an increase were areas we really couldn't say 'no,'" Horsfield said.
"Fuel costs, we need our trucks on the street, we need our snowplows out there and asphalt for the roads. Those are things we can’t go without."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
At the beginning of the deliberations in February, city staff recommended the proposed levy increase be at 5.77 per cent compared to last year.
However, the city will use almost $890,000 from its reserves to bring the tax levy down as past councils have also used reserves this way.
"It's been something that they've done since 2008, dipping into reserves to help lower the levy," Horsfield said.
But she admits this strategy is not always sustainable.
"It's not a sustainable practice because at some point those reserves are going to dry up," Horsfield said.
After crunching the numbers, it's estimated that North Bay's taxpayers will see a 3.23 per cent increase on their bills. That’s about $47.35 more a year on a home assessed at $100,000.
City Councillor Gary Gardiner was hoping the tax levy increase would be lower. He said he was hoping it would end somewhere around 3 per cent range, citing the effects inflation has had on people.
"Based on the rapid inflation that we have, homeowners are trying to figure out how to make ends meet," Gardiner said.
"That would have been a good target."
Horsfield said she understands the concerns expressed from many people who are struggling with the price of gas, food and other inflated expenses.
"It’s really fair that folks want to see their taxes as low as possible," she said.
"If we want to look at those changes, it will come when the city reviews their collective bargaining as well as our administrative pay bylaws."
City council will vote next Tuesday night on whether or not it will approve both the operating and capital budget.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.