Grey HIghlands council has a draft budget for 2024 that includes a local tax increase of 8.85 per cent.
Council held a special committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 6 to continue work on the budget. It was the sixth committee of the whole effort on the 2024 budget.
After a meeting that lasted just over three hours, council arrived at a projected tax increase of 8.85 per cent.
The meeting actually started with the draft tax increase hovering around 7.5 per cent, however, council made two additions to the tax supported budget that pushed that number up. First, council reversed an earlier decision to lower the amount of gravel to be applied on local roads. This increased the tax levy by $207,500. Council also supported adding $16,000 to the tax levy for maintenance of the municipality’s four ice resurfacing machines.
The projected increase would mean a Grey Highlands home assessed at the average of $305,000 will pay $2,280 in local taxes in 2024. This is an increase of $185 over 2023 and does not include the amounts for Grey County and the Bluewater School Board.
Coun. Tom Allwood, who chaired the committee of the whole budget meetings, thanked council and staff for their efforts over the past several weeks on the budget.
“It’s always interesting,” said Allwood. “Our work is not done, at least we’re moving forward.”
Grey Highlands staff will now schedule a public budget meeting for residents and ratepayers to provide input and feedback on the draft budget. The meeting will be a hybrid event that will allow residents to attend virtually. Following the public meeting, a special budget-only council meeting will be held for council to consider the public’s feedback on the draft budget. Council will have the opportunity to make changes to the budget at the special meeting. Final approval of the budget will come at the special meeting.
“There is still the opportunity in the special council meeting to take as long as we want to review any of the items,” said Allwood.
