Taxes going up 2% in South Dundas

(Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)

SOUTH DUNDAS – South Dundas has passed its 2016 budget, which will see a two per cent tax rate increase.

Ratepayers will have to shell out an extra $16.57 on average for their annual tax bill this year.

That figure is based on a home in the municipality assessed at $179,718, so the number will vary slightly based on the value of your property.

That doesn’t include the county portion of the bill, nor the water and sewer budgets.

CAO Shannon Geraghty told council Tuesday night, the water and sewer budgets will be reviewed in April.

Geraghty said getting the capital and operating budgets finalized will now allow departments to put out tenders for this year’s projects.

The township will collect roughly $5.9 million this year – 6.54 per cent or $364,500 more than in 2015.

The largest departmental expense is for roads at $2.4 million, followed by recreation at $1.7 million.

As for the recreation department, there had been discussion about replacing one of fleet vehicles. Geraghty said “to me it’s not warranted” to replace it this year, based on a review of the condition of the vehicle and cost to repair it.

The vehicle replacement has been pushed to 2017.

A bylaw to establish the tax rates for the different property classes is expected at the next council meeting, April 5, 2016.