Some last-minute adjustments to the Simcoe County and School Board mill rates made Clearview Council’s budget decision an easier one Monday, allowing them to approve a 7.52 per cent increase in the Township levy and still keep the overall residential tax increase at 1.86 per cent.
Until Monday’s workshop, Treasurer Edward Henley had been estimating the impact on residents’ taxes from the County and School Board, waiting for the official mill rates to be determined. The numbers being used were 0.61 per cent for the County, which is the increase in that organization’s overall levy, and zero per cent for the School Board.
But the mill rates, which Henley had in time for Monday’s workshop, reflected the fact that Clearview Township’s taxable assessment grew at a rate of 1.01 per cent last year, the second lowest rate of the 16 municipalities that make up Simcoe County. Only Ramara Township, with a rate of 0.54 per cent, grew less. Overall, Simcoe County grew at a rate of 2.13 per cent, with Bradford-West Gwillimbury leading the way at 6.64 per cent and New Tecumseth growing the second fastest at 2.68 per cent.
Because the overall increase in Simcoe County’s levy is less than its growth number, it means that municipalities on the lower end of the growth chart see a decrease in taxes, as the faster-growing municipalities shoulder more of the tax burden. As a result, the 2013 Simcoe County mill rate translates to a 0.65 per cent decrease in what the County needs to collect from Clearview.
Similarily, this area’s lack of growth meant the School Board is requiring 4.07 per cent less from Clearview this year.
Treasurer Henley also led off the workshop by telling Council that since the last time they met on the budget, staff had found $100,000 in savings in salaries and benefits in the public works and parks and recreation departments.
That, coupled with some up-to-date math that showed that a one-per-cent increase in the Clearview levy translates to $106,240 rather than $100,000 as previously estimated, meant that Council started the day with a 7.73 per cent increase in the Township levy to work with.
Council then went line by line on several items put forward by Councillors Thom Paterson, Shawn Davidson, Brent Preston and Deputy Mayor Alicia Savage, in hopes of bringing the increase down further. Up for discussion were things like the Schell Farm local improvement study, the part-time fire prevention officer, the full-time fire administration position, a pay equity study, the asset management plan, the use of contracted services in general, new flooring for the administration centre, the digital signage program, the paving of the Creemore Arena parking lot, and the Economic Development Committee branding project.
Of those, the only subject that met with a majority of votes was a decision to split the branding project, previously budgeted at $50,000, over the next two years. Left in the budget for this year was $27,937, with $20,000 coming from taxation and $7,937 coming from EDC reserves.
The budget was then passed at Monday night’s Council meeting, despite some previous indication that a final vote wouldn’t take place until March 25. When Councillor Paterson asked why the Township wasn’t waiting until they know the outcome of the March 18 special meeting on the future of the community halls, he was assured by staff that should any financial commitments arise at that meeting, the budget could always be amended.
With a final property tax increase of 1.86 per cent, that means taxes on the median-value Clearview Township home (valued at $250,750) will go up $51.11 this year, from $2,743.68 to $2,794.79. Of that amount, $1,181.81 will go to Clearview Township, $312.74 will go to the Huronia West OPP, $768.66 to Simcoe County and $531.59 to the School Board.
The official tax bylaw is set to be passed in May.
Clearview Township budget documents can be viewed here.