Duane Hicks
While there’s been little talk so far of levy increases, town council is moving along with the 2009 budget process—passing a bylaw yesterday evening to establish tax ratios for prescribed property classes.
Council and administration also set a date for its next regular budget meeting, which will be held next Tuesday (May 19) at 4 p.m. in the downstairs meeting room at the Civic Centre.
After yesterday’s meeting, Mayor Roy Avis said although the town is waiting for word on funding for some projects in the budget, such as work on the east end of Scott Street, council can include these in the budget anyway.
If the funding doesn’t come through, then council doesn’t have to go through with it or they can roll it over into the 2010 budget.
It’s likely the finalized budget will be ready for council vote by mid-June or early July, the mayor added.
Speaking for himself, Mayor Avis said he hopes any levy increase for residential property owners will be kept to less than three percent.
As reported in yesterday’s Daily Bulletin, the tax ratios are used to set tax rates.
In simplest terms, tax ratios determine how tax rates will be calculated using the residential property class as a starting point.
For instance, if the residential property class is considered 1 and the multi-residential ratio is 2.542670 ratio, then multi-residential properties pay the residential tax rate times 2.542670.
However, because the commercial and industrial property class tax rates here are above the provincial threshold, they are “capped” or levy-restricted, meaning only 50 percent of any levy increase goes to their class.
The rest of the non-capped classes pick up the other 50 percent.
The proposed tax ratios for 2009 are as follows, with the 2008 ratios indicated in parentheses for the sake of comparison:
•residential—1
•multi-residential—2.542670 (2.459300);
•commercial occupied—2.095637 (2.061480);
•commercial vacant/excess property—1.466946 (1.443036);
•industrial occupied—2.762876 (2.327217);
•industrial vacant/excess property—1.795869 (1.512691);
•large industrial occupied—5.038088 (4.243667);
•pipelines—2.516360 (2.522300);
•farm—0.25 (0.25); and
•managed forests—0.25 (0.25)
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•held a public meeting regarding an application for tax adjustments at 1135 River Rd. W.;
•received a police services activity report from A/Insp. Steve Shouldice (new OPP detachment commander S/Sgt. John Kendrick also introduced himself to council);
•received an activities report from economic development advisor Geoff Gillon for the period of Jan. 1-March 31, 2009;
•referred an encroachment agreement request from C.A. Brunetta re: Stanley and Sandra Lee Perry at 430 Third St. E. to the municipal planner for processing;
•referred a request from the Ontario Realty Corp. re: parking at the Fort Frances Courthouse to the Planning and Development executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request from the “chem-free” grad committee to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•agreed to a request from Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario to proclaim June, 2009 as “Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Month” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•referred a request from Bethel Baptist Church for a street light in front of 720 Morrison Cres. to the Street Light Inspection Committee for its recommendation;
•passed a bylaw to amend Bylaw 12/79 to include a new definition of “kennel,” and
•passed a bylaw to authorize the execution of an undertaking in respect to an application to Emergency Management Ontario for funding under the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program.
