Grey County has reduced its projected 2024 tax increase to 7.09 per cent.
At a special all-day budget meeting held on Dec. 8, county council made progress towards reducing what was initially a double-digit tax increase.
After several hours of budget presentations, council completed the session with the proposed increase standing at 7.09 per cent.
When county council last met on the budget, the proposed tax increase for 2024 sat at just over nine per cent or $6,660,095. The Dec. 8 budget session kicked off with CAO Kim Wingrove presenting council with a list of recommended spending cuts totalling $1,630,000. County council quickly passed a resolution to adopt the list, which dropped the proposed tax hike to 7.23 per cent or just over $5 million.
Following the CAO’s report, county council began the process of receiving budget presentations from each county department. Although there were plenty of questions and comments from members of council during the presentations, only one significant cut was made to the budget.
Council voted to reduce a reserve transfer in the transportation department by $100,000, which took the increase from 7.23 per cent to 7.09 per cent.
Council’s only other significant decision at the meeting was to continue to provide funding to Grey Agricultural Services in the amount of $69,100 in 2024. This amount had appeared on a staff list of potential cuts to be made to lower the projected tax increase. However, council passed a resolution brought forward by Chatsworth Mayor Scott Mackey to continue the funding in the budget.
Grey Agricultural Services was formed in 2000 after the provincial government eliminated agricultural offices around the province. The organization assists local farmers and the agricultural community. The county provides funding and space at Grey Gables in Markdale for the program.
Council will resume its budget deliberations on Friday, Dec. 15 at 10 a.m.
