Chester Approves 2014-15 Budget

The residential tax rate is going up in Chester. The municipality has approved its budget for the upcoming year and it includes an increase of two-and-a-half cents for households to 68.5 cents per 100 of assessment. Warden Allen Webber says there is a variety of reasons for the increase. He says upping the tax rate will help cover the costs. “It was necessary to deal with the increased pressures that are being downloaded by the province, to replenish our reserves, to strengthen our municipality, to build capacity in our community, to prepare ourselves for the potential economic opportunities that may come our way.” Meanwhile, there will be no change for businesses as the commercial tax rate is staying at $1.53. Councillor Andre Veinotte was unsuccessful in bringing down the rate after trying to pursuade his fellow members to hear his request but it was turned down. He says he wasn’t looking for a major cut. “Just a cent or two would have been fine. To us, that means $8,000 or $16,000 in the budget, it’s not a big expense to the municipality. But it would have sent the message, at least, that it’s important to us.” The municipality has the second lowest commercial rate in Nova Scotia. Council approved $50,000 in this year’s budget for ‘Our Health Centre’, with $100,000 planned in the 2015 and 2016 budgets. The capital budget is almost $4.5-million while the operating budget is just over $23-million.