OPP cooperation, staffing freeze needed to lower tax hit, out of town surcharge at 30 per cent

Posted November 14, 2024

 

New Tecumseth councillors shaved a pinch over two per cent from the proposed 2025 average property tax hike going from 9.5 per cent to 7.61 per cent of the municipal portion. When the County and Education portions are factored in, the blended rate is 5.17, which still makes the total bill approximately $5,000 on a home with a $456,000 market value assessment.

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A portion of the reduction comes with an asterisk as it involves cooperation between the OPP and the provincial government eating a sizable portion of the $1.4 million increase in the contract - almost all of it tied to salary increases negotiated/agreed to by the Province. Deputy Mayor Stephanie MacLellan was using five per cent increase as the target, reasoning that average increases for OPP the past three years were less than two per cent.

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Councillors agreed to revisit the issue if it were to result in reductions to policing levels. The other significant scale back was to reduce the number of proposed staff additions excluding those enforcing bylaws. One of the largest portions of the total tax hit will come from more than $4 million in salary and benefits increases for current staff and council.

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On the revenue generating side, people from outside New Tecumseth who use parks and recreation facilities, including those who take part in local sporting leagues, will have to pay a 30 per cent surcharge, up from 20 per cent, on top of registration fees.

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Proposed water and sewer rates remain unchanged with 15 per cent hike to water and 8.5 per cent on the sewage side to take effect April 1, 2025. They match the increases for 2024.

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