Myra Baumann, director of corporate services/treasurer, presents Smiths Falls council budget options
Smiths Falls council have direct staff to develop the 2024 draft budget using a cost-of-living factor instead of using proposed rates that are based on the 2016 long-term financial plan.
Councillor Jay Brennan said he wasn’t comfortable using projections that were developed when the town was in a far different place.
The 2016 plan would have had staff develop next year’s budget with an assumed tax rate increase of 3.38%.
That plan is too outdated, says Mayor Shawn Pankow, as the town literally outgrew it.
Instead, the September consumer price index for Ottawa-Gatineau of 2.9% will be used while staff await for more details about provincial funding streams.
The proposed water and wastewater increases of 5.5 and 3.5% are moving ahead.
Story by Grant Deme
