HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-03-08, Page 7News
Huron County passes
3.5 per cent increase
Mark Nonkes
aniummon
Huron County coun-
cil passed a revised
budget with a 3.5 per
cent increaseto the
general tax levy last
week.
Residential and
farmland taxes will
increase throughout
the county while multi -
residential, commercial
and industrial will
actually drop due to
property reassessment.
The increase from
the county portion of
the tax bill was
approved by municipal
politicians at the
March session of coun-
ty council.
The amount of 3.5
per cent was reached
after the province
injected an unforeseen
$3.3 million into the
county through part-
nership funding.
The extra': funding
will also allow for
$200,000 to be trans-
ferred to an economic
development reserve
fund.
Money to the tune of
$100,000 for a
Geographic Integration
System (GIS) reserve
was also added to the
budget. As well, a
$91,000 library book
reserve fund will be
reinstated to the. bud-
get.
Further capital pro-
jects
ro-jects total inore than
$9 million. Most of the
expenses come from
upcoming highway pro-
jects which total more
than $7 million.
Other projects
include building
updates for county -
owned properties and
public housing. Bridge
and culvert repairs,
storm sewer and road
reconstruction are . also
planned in 2006.
The biggest increase
to the budget was
uncontrollable, Warden
Rob Morley said, as it
came in the form of
increased staff wages
and benefits.
Originally, the coun-
ty budget, which totals
more than $30 million,
was created with a 5.1
per cent increase. That
is substantially lower
than the 17.4 per cent
increase from 2005 or
the 20 per cent
increase in 2004.
By department, pub-
lic works which
includes highways and
physical services, has a
budget of nearly $11
million.
Administration costs
total more than $7.1
million. Emergency
management services'
budget totals around
$4.5 million. Social ser-
vices are budgetted at
$6.4 million.
Cultural services,
which includes the
museum and the
library are budgeted at
$2.5 million. The
health unit is budgeted
at $1.7 for 2006.
Planning and devel-
opment is budgetted at
$1.3 million while the
county homes for the
aged are budgetted at
$969,602.
Ambulance grant not yet confirmed
At the March 3 meet-
ing, county councillors
were left scratching
their heads about fur-
ther promised money
from the province.
At a recent confer-
ence attended by the
Ontario government
and municipal officials,
Premier Dalton
McGuinty announced
the province would pro-
vide compensation for
ambulance services.
"Should that gift be
taken off the 3.5 per
COUNSEL!.
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cent?" questioned
Coun. Ken Oke.
County treasurer
David Carey said the
amount has not yet
been confirmed by the
province and no cheque
has been received.
He suggested when
the money finally
arrives it be put in a
reserve fund and then
put towards next year's
tax level.
Coun. Deb Shewfelt
urged staff not to for-
get about passing on
the savings to taxpay-
ers when the amount
finally arrives.
He said Huron's tax-
payers have already
been taxed for ambu-
lance service and the
savings need to be
passed on.
Carey also comment-
ed that he was unclear
as to what the province
would actually fund, if
the money would
include only primary
care paramedics or
advanced care para-
medics as well.
By Mark Nonkes
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The Huron Expositor • March 8, 2006 Page 7
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Jeff Heuchert photo
Huron OPP officers question onlookers after two trucks collided at •Goderich
and Main Streets in Seaforth last Friday.
Two -vehicle coll�s�on happens
at
A two -vehicle collision took place
at Seaforth's main intersection on
March 3 at 12:30 p.m.
A 1992 GMC Suburban was trav-
elling east on Goderich Street and a
1998 GMC Sierra was travelling
south on Main Street when the two
collided.
No injuries were reported. The
collision is still under investigation.
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