County close to property tax bump
By Richard Blanchard

Simcoe County residents seem more likely to see the county portion of their property taxes increase next year, after council committees reviewed the proposed 2008 budget last week.

But the corporate services committee came close to defeating the proposed tax increase, with the proposed increase passing by a close margin of five to four.

Essa deputy mayor Terry Dowdall and Adjala- Tosorontio mayor Tom Walsh voted against the increase while

Adjala-Tosorontio deputy mayor Doug Little and Innisfil deputy mayor Gord Wauchope voted in favour of it. Alliston mayor Mike McEachern was absent from the meeting.

County council was presented with a draft budget at its October meeting of $440 million which included $40 million in funds to be raised from debentures.

Oro-Medonte deputy mayor Ralph Hough raised his objections to the size of the increase again.

"I hate to sound like a broken record but I still can't support it. For a house valued at $200,000, with the costs of the new organics program, we're still looking at an increase of over $40," he said. "It's still a lot of money for those on fixed incomes or making low wages."

Adjala Tosorontio mayor Tom Walsh said that he was concerned that the county was going to debenture over $40 million this year for capital projects.

"I don't like debenturing. With the interest, you soon end up paying twice as much as the original cost. Personally, I think that we would be better off with a 9.6 per cent increase," he said.

A 9.6 per cent increase would have reduced the size of the debenture from $40 million to $36 million.

County general manger Tom Evans told council that many see debenturing of capital projects which will benefit residents over a long period of time, such as improved roads, as a fairer way of assigning costs.

"Future residents will be paying their share for the capital projects which they use," he said.

Collingwood deputy mayor Sandra Copper said that she couldn't support a 9.6 per cent increase.

"Its just too much," she said.

Essa mayor Terry Dowdall said after the meeting that he voted against the proposed increase because it was too much of an increase for local ratepayers.

"We saw our assessment base rise by over two per cent because of all of the new construction built in the county. There's going to be an increase in assessment right there. (It) is too much,"he said.

Simcoe county council will make its final decision on the 2008 budget next week.

The county had a budget of $394 million in 2007 and $345 million in 2006.