The 2024 operating and capital budgets have been
tabled by town council with council members having
their work cut out for them.
Elected officials will enter deliberations trying to
whittle down a proposed tax increase of 7.13 per cent.
Broken down, that starting figure represents a 4.56
per cent increase in contractual costs, in-year commit-
ments, an increase in special reserves and new posi-
tions while another 1.6 per cent is to support the asset
management plan (AMP) financial strategy. The other
portion of the proposed increase is 0.77 per cent in
new debt.
That proposed increase translates to a $194.14 per
year increase to the average home valued at $250,000,
or $3.66 per week.
Town council learned of the news during a special
council meeting Monday night. CAO Valerie Critchley
told council members administration crafted the draft
budget with the town’s new strategic plan in mind.
She said they tried to be mindful of the “pillars”
contained within.
The Town of Amherstburg not only has to look at
fiscal sustainability, but Critchley said they are respon-
sible for providing quality services as well. There are
“hard realities” that have to be faced, she indicated,
such as five years worth of inflation and previous tax
increases that were below the rate of inflation.
“We did not keep pace and that put us behind the
eight ball before we even started to put together the
2024 budget,” said Critchley.
There was also an increased demand for services
and the adding of new assets.
Other municipalities within Essex County start their
budget processes with proposed increases ranging
from five to seven per cent, she added, but the CAO
said the municipalities on the lower end of that scale
had higher tax increases than Amherstburg last year
and have healthier reserves. Drawing on reserves is
not recommended for Amherstburg, she indicated.
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