With it being budget time, municipalities are looking at expenditures as well as revenue, including mill rates.
The mill rate is the amount of tax payable per dollar of the assessed value of a property. The mill rate is based on mills; as each mill is one-thousandth of a currency unit, one mill is equivalent to one-tenth of a cent or $0.001.
During the recent council meeting the Town of Churchbridge Council approved the 2020 operating budget that includes an increase of the mill rate from 7.0 to 7.5 with that tax base remaining at $950.
“It is reiterated to councils that taxes should be increased every year. If a municipality was to leave taxes the same, the municipality would eventually falter, as all costs rise with inflation.” This is what part of the justification town officials have offered when asked why are they increasing the mill rate during the present economic conditions.
Several other budgeted items were listed with the tax notices mailed out as well, the reverse osmosis expenditures expected to be completed by spring 2021.
In fact, the town has listed 11 budgeted items in the newsletter issued with the tax notices including; paving part of Raikes Street and sweeping ($65 000); sidewalk repairs from BB Liquor east ($15 000); campground office repairs and new shower head and fans ($500); fire pits at the campground ($4 000); lift station electrical repairs ($15 000); refurbish fire pump/LMI pumps ($7 000); replace town office doors and windows ($15 000); redo the hall bathrooms ($10 000); climbing wall at Churchbridge Aquatic Center ($19 000) and fix fire hydrants on Lovel Street and Prothero Avenue ($14 000).
“Council budgeted 75% revenue for the Campground and Aquatic Centre this year, with the expectation it will open but may be delayed” according to town officials.
