Town's Final Budget Plan 2014 - 2015.

CAO Rob Frost presented the 2014 -2015 budget at Council's special meeting on May 22.

From page 5 of the report: Overall 2013-2014 Town Operating Budget 

For the 2014-2015 fiscal year the Town Operations budget will see a reduction of both revenue and expenses of $141,187, or approximately 6% from $2,230,286 in ’13-’14 to $2,089,098 in ’14-’15. 

Click on LINK for the town's website and click on Hantsport's 2014 - 2015 Budget Approved.

Details:

May 22 3:04 PM

Councillor Shannon Cunningham moved that the town's tax rates for residential properties be reduced by 3¢. Motion passed by a 4:3 vote. It is now $1.66.

At the regular council meeting on May 6, Mayor Rob Zwicker favoured a 5¢ tax reduction in the hope that a lowered tax rate would be continued in the future. Deputy Mayor Harold Bulger argued against it. He favoured maintaining the tax rate and maintaining services such as the swimming pool. He moved that the tax rate be kept at $1.69 residential and $3.85 commercial. After discussion, the vote was 3:3. CLLR Cunningham was absent. The motion was defeated.

After CLLR Cunningham made his motion, the mayor stated,"We've had lots of discussion. Just set the tax rate and get on with it."

CAO Frost had drawn up five draft budgets using 1¢, 2¢, 3¢, 4¢, and 5¢ tax reduction rates.  DM Bulger wondered how the town went from comments in December that the town was in great shape to reports in March that the town was facing dissolution. He said that the towns was sending mixed messages by cutting services and the tax rate. Council voted 4:3 to cut the tax rate by 3¢.

CLLR Bureaux left the meeting. "I am not a happy camper."She did not return.

A motion was made to reduce the commercial tax by 3¢. It passed by a vote of 4:2. It is now $3.82.

Earlier in the meeting, CAO Frost stated that the residential tax rate had stayed the same for many years. It was increased from $1.66 to $1.69 three years ago. In 10 years, the commercial rate had increased slowed and is now $1 more than it was in 2004.