CORNWALL – The 2016 budget will be going to the full city council with an overall tax increase of 1.89 per cent.
That works out to an extra $41.70 a year on a home assessed at $159,539.
The city will be collecting more taxes this year — just over three per cent more. The 2015 tax levy plus the assessment growth was $66,028,330. The 2016 levy (taxes collected) will be $67,963,033, for an increase of 3.01 per cent.
The budget committee wrapped up a day early – it had been prepared to meet all day Friday but discussions concluded at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
A number of councillors were happy with this year’s process, which has seen the budget work split into two committees of council – one dealing with the core budget and the other dealing with outside agencies.
“This feels like a whole new process this year … it’s tighter and more coherent than anything in the past,” Coun. Elaine MacDonald said.
“I think the idea is awesome too. The committee (community agencies committee) next week, they’re in for a tough job,” Mark MacDonald added.
The community agencies review committee meets Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. where committee members will elect a chairman and then have rapid-fire-like five minute presentations from outside agencies over the course of three hours.
The process will be repeated again on Feb. 10 as they try to stay within last year’s allotment of just over $547,000.
Denis Carr, Maurice Dupelle, Carilyne Hebert, David Murphy and Andre Rivette are on the community agencies review committee.