Feature Article July 29, 2004
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Better late than never, NF brings in their flat line budgetDraft budget for 2005 before the end of the year?by Jeff Green
North Frontenac Township approved their 2004 budget on Monday night, months after budgets were approved in other jurisdictions.
Problems with their accounting software, and other issues delayed satisfying the townships auditors and closing out the books for 2003. Changes in the way departments are now being expected to account for their funding requests all caused delays, but in the end the Council has been able to keep the tax rate the same as last year. With a decrease in the education tax rate and the County tax rate, taxpayers in North Frontenac will see a 4.55% decrease in their overall tax rate this year. For every $100,000 in tax assessment, the tax payable will be $1,372.58.
As beleaguered tax payers are well aware, there is no sense celebrating this tax decrease because it is a rate decrease not an actual tax decrease for most people. The total amount of property assessment in North Frontenac increased by $56 million this year, and property owners who saw 10, 20, or even 30 per cent assessment increases, will still see large tax increases that will override the tax rate decrease.
Road projects and maintenance will use up 47.8% of the roughly $2.8 million the township will spend directly this year, with general government at 13% and Capital spending at 8.7%, waste management 6.8% and policing at 4.8%.
The budget includes several expenditures that have already taken place, such as the new pumper purchased for the Barrie/Kaladar fire department as a shared cost with Addington Highlands; the fire door at the Plevna fire hall; and the money required to ensure compliance with new water regulations.
Among road projects proposed are paving, ditching and/or gravel work on Kash, Boundary, Shabomeka, and Whites roads in Barrie ward, Buckshot Lake, Mattawachan, and River Roads in Clar-Mill ward, and Canonto, Lavant, Robertsville, and River Roads in Palmerston-Canonto.
As well, money has been set aside for upgrading all halls with safety equipment and doing urgent repairs.
When Council sat down to complete the budgeting exercise, they were faced with a wish list from township departments that would have meant a 6% increase in the residential tax rate, but we were determined to get it down to a flat line budget, said Councillor Will Cybulski.
Now that the 2004 budget exercise has been completed and new budgeting procedures have been put in place for township departments, Council is planning to begin working in the next few weeks on the 2005 budget, hoping to have a draft 2005 budget ready by the end of the 2004 calendar year.
