East Gwillimbury council sends staff back to drawing board with budget

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 19, 2015
By Simon Martin


A 4.6-per-cent tax increase for the 2015 budget was too high for East Gwillimbury council, which sent upper management back to the drawing board to find additional cuts.

With a dedicated 1.75-per-cent tax increase already approved for the emergency services budget, council wants to lower the remaining 2.85 per cent.

“We need to keep the expenditures down to keep the burden on the taxpayer down,” Councillor Marlene Johnston said. “Building the fire services was a priority we chose. We have to stick to it.”

However, it remains to be seen where further efficiencies will be found.

Town treasurer Mark Valcic’s preliminary proposed blueprint had a tax hike of close to 7 per cent but that number has been whittled down and a number of capital projects were deferred.

Councillor Tara-Roy DiClemente said it’s a challenge to keep services at existing levels for the same costs each year.

While council didn’t suggest a number to reach, Johnston said she would like to get the tax increase down to 2.6 per cent. “Come hell or high water, I want to get there,” she said.

The town’s budget deliberations have gone much longer in 2015 than in previous years due to a few factors. The 2014 municipal election pushed the budget timetable back. The financial squeeze caused by a slower than expected growth and the move to a full-time fire service have made council’s decisions challenging this year. By comparison, council was able to pass the 2014 budget much quicker.

The town is planning to hire an additional two full-time firefighters every year for the next four years. According to Valcic, the total cost of the increased service level will be $1.2 million.