Staff
After months of debate and scrutiny, Fort Frances town council approved the 2010 municipal budget on Monday night.
“I know that we’ve worked many, many hours on this budget this year, and I think it worked out very well for ourselves and the municipality,” Mayor Roy Avis said following the PowerPoint presentation meant to explain to the public how the budget was formed, how the town is financed, how tax dollars are applied, and what constraints there are on the town when it comes to taxation.
Overall, council approved a municipal levy increase of $314,500 for 2010.
When it comes to overall tax rate changes for 2010, council approved a 0.82 percent increase for farmland, a 0.82 percent increase for residential, a 1.28 percent increase for multi-residential, a 10.75 percent decrease for commercial occupied, a 0.9 percent decrease for industrial, a 7.66 percent decrease for large industrial, and a 8.76 percent decrease for pipelines.
It was noted in the town’s budget presentation that commercial, industrial, large industrial, and pipeline overall tax rate decreases are directly related to the education tax rate reduction as set by provincial regulations.
Of the town’s outlined budget expenditures of $20,955,625, 23 percent was earmarked as going towards corporate, 10 percent towards school boards, seven percent towards administration and finance, 35 percent towards community services, 22 percent towards operations and facilities, and three percent towards planning and development.
When it comes to how the taxes collected by the town are distributed, the report outlined the 2010 tax distribution as 42 percent towards “uncontrollable costs” (i.e., Northwestern Health Unit, Rainy River District Social Services Admiminstration Board, Rainycrest, and the OPP), 17 percent towards education, 10 percent towards capital (LTD and contributions to reserves), and 31 percent towards municipal operating.
The complete budget presentation also will be available online at www.fort-frances.com
