South Stormont passes 4.99% tax increase

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By Shawna O'Neill
South Stormont passes 4.99% tax increase

This article has been edited to offer further explanation into the blended tax rate. 

SOUTH STORMONT, Ontario – The 2019 South Stormont Municipal Budget was confirmed during the United Counties Council meeting on Monday, March 18.

South Stormont Council passed a tax rate increase of 4.99 per cent from 2018. With a 2 per cent reduction in taxes at the United Counties level, the municipality is deeming their blended tax rate increase is at 2.99 per cent, rather than 4.99 per cent.

The Township maintains that rates were determined with a proactive framework, projecting future years of growth within the municipality.

The average residential property in South Stormont was assessed at $217, 085 in 2018. Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) individual property reassessments were performed in 2016 and took effect in 2017. Those reassessments take place in a four-year period and are likely to affect most residential taxpayers.

If a property assessment does not increase in 2019, the blended tax rate will result in an annual increase of $20.48 over 2018 property taxes. If the assessment increases by one per cent, it will result in an annual increase of $46.45, and if the assessment decreases by one per cent it will result in an annual decrease of $5.46, over 2018 property taxes.

Council also approved increases for the municipal water and wastewater utility services. All fees collected from the services are reinstalled into utility operations, maintenance and capital upgrades. The increases for each area in the Township include the following:

Long Sault – 10 per cent increase

Ingleside – 10 per cent increase

Eamer’s Corners and Rosedale Terrace – 15 per cent increase

Newington – 10 per cent increase

Capital projects in South Stormont for 2019 include the following projects:

  • Windermere Dr. reconstruction
  • Valade Rd. Bridge repairs
  • North Lunenburg Rd. West asphalt overlay
  • Dickinson Dr. pedestrian crossover
  • Completion of Ingleside Park landscaping
  • Upgrades to Long Sault Arena changerooms
  • Rosedale Terrace McLennan Park improvements
  • St Andrews Fire Station 4 parking lot extension
  • Extrication equipment
  • Equipment to support streaming of Council meetings
  • Software upgrades for Fire Department, Building

“The budget represents a balanced approach to the increasing service requirements. Increasing service requirements are a result of downloading of services, increasing/changing service mandates, and growth in the Township,” read a South Stormont press release.

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