Central Frontenac's opening budget talks with 9.8 per cent increase

Posted Jan 19, 2012 By Craig Bakay

EMC News The annual budget dance has begun in Central Frontenac Township with staff suggesting a 9.8 per cent increase to the Township Residential rate for 2012.

However, municipal staff's always ask for more than they think they'll get and then it becomes Council's job to whittle that down to a figure they think the ratepayers can live with.

Coun. Frances Smith was the first on Council to serve notice that a 9.8 per cent increase wouldn't fly this year.

"There's no way we can increase taxes by 10 per cent," Smith said. "If we did, we wouldn't have any people living here to pay it.

"I think staff needs to sharpen their pencils."

Smith also took exception to the proposal to finalize a 2012 budget before the 2011 actuals are known.

"I don't know how we can come up with a budget by the end of January when we won't know the final 2011 numbers until Feb. 13," she said.

A few details are known, however. First, there is no increase in the education portion of the municipal tax bills for 2012 and assessment (the value placed by MPAC on all properties in the Township) is up by 10.1 per cent.

And although Frontenac County has yet to finalize its budget for 2012, it's looking like there will be a modest increase coming from the County portion.

Even so, the preliminary numbers have Central Frontenac coming up about $1,031,000 or 19.12 per cent short of what staff believes is needed.

Last year, the Township spent $5.39 million. This year it wants to spend $6.43 million.

Some of the increase would be due to factors the Township has very little control over, Trepanier said. For example, provincial transfer payments for infrastructure are projected to be down by $128,000 and policing costs are expected to be up by about $60,000.

Staff would also like to put away $100,000 in reserves for a new fire hall in Parham and increase the capital budget by $450,000.

On the capital budget wish list are $300,000 for a bridge on Crow Lake Road, $178,000 for paving Arden Road, $118,000 for improvements to Armstrong and Cross Roads, $18,000 for two thermal imaging units (for fire/rescue), $420,000 for two tandem trucks with snow plows, $11,000 for a phone system upgrade and $25,000 for a document management system.