Town of Aurora sets tax levy at $79.71 for average home

Town council approves operating, capital, water and wastewater budgets for 2019

Yorkregion.com
April 11, 2019
Teresa Latchford

The Town of Aurora has officially approved a 3.3 per cent tax levy for 2019.

The approved $67.5-million operating budget, $60.6-million capital budget and $27-million water budget will translate to an additional $79.71 of property tax on a home with an average assessed value of $800,000. Combined with the tax levy from York Region and school boards, the increase will be $202.28.

“I am proud that staff and council were able to work collaboratively to produce a budget that maintains the excellent level of service the town provides to our residents while remaining fiscally responsible,” Mayor Tom Mrakas said. “This budget also represents the first year of our phase in for operating costs related to the new Library Square and I am thrilled we’ve been able to accommodate this exciting project with minimal impact to taxpayers.”

Funding for the town, Aurora Public Library, Central York Fire services and for infrastructure rehabilitation and replacement are included in the town’s portion of the total tax bill.

Highlights of the operating budget include maintaining roads, parks and community centres, first year of three-year phase in for the new Library Square operating costs, continued phase in of fire services growth-driven costs, final phase in Green for Life waste management contract and continued reduction of reliance on development charges.

The capital budget includes:

$410,000 for a new pumper truck for CYFS

$9.4 million for the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex gymnasium

$600,000 for the repair of the skate park

$1 million for the reconstruction of Vandorf Sideroad, Monkman Crescent and Carisbrooke  Circle

$600,000 for the water metre replacement program

$250,000 to resurface the parking lot at Sheppard’s Bush conservation area
$50,000 for backup generators for emergency evacuation centres

The retail water rate has been approved at $2.18 per cubic metre, $2.65 per cubic metre for wastewater and a flat rate stormwater charge of $5.44 per unit per month for residential and condominium properties and $69.08 for metred non-residential commercial/industrial and multi-residential properties. The new rates will be effective on all billings issued after April 30 and will be retroactive for the entire billing period.