Money is a little tighter in Mahone Bay this year.
Council is preparing to release their 2016/17 budget this week.
Mayor Joe Feeney says while snow removal costs have been down the Kinburn Street bridge replacement is having a big impact on their bottom line.
“For the first time in my memory we’re going to finish out the calendar year without a surplus,” he says.
He says, in a town as small as his, council’s options are limited if they find themselves short on funds.
“Our [residential] tax rate is $1.12 per 100 of assessment, if we raise it to $1.13 that gets us a total of about $8,000. You can’t do much with $8,000, fix a few potholes, but darn few.”
Feeney says the rising costs of provincial services makes it hard to offset unexpected expenses.
He says council recognizes the burden it puts on homeowners when taxes go up and try to avoid it if at all possible.
