Essa Township facing 4.3 per cent levy bump
By Richard Blanchard

Essa councillors have asked township staff to bring in a municipal budget for 2008 which will see a 4.3 per cent increase in the municipal levy.

Council settled on the increase at the conclusion of its budget review session last Wednesday afternoon.

The increase will mean an increase of a little over $20 in taxes on a house worth $200,000.

But at least one member of council, deputy mayor Terry Dowdall, argued the group should look at the need for more cuts in expenditure.

"We seem to be taking a lot of reserves over the past few years to achieve relatively small tax increases. We really need to look at our spending," he said.

Township mayor Dave Guergis said that he was shocked by the increasing costs of operating the township.

"It seems a few year ago that we were able to do a lot more with less money. We're not doing as much as we used to," he said.

Township CAO Greg Murphy noted that the cost of fuel and other forms of energy has increased greatly over the past few years. Insurance has jumped by over 75 per cent over the past five years alone.

Among the increased costs facing the township are the previously agreed decision to hire additional police.