The Region of Queens has approved a tax increase in this year’s budget.
It’s the first one since April 2016.
The residential tax rate will be raised to $1.92 per $100 of assessment, an increase of two cents.
The increase will help fund several infrastructure projects including continuing water and sewer projects in Liverpool and Brooklyn.
Mayor David Dagley says they tried to keep the increase as low as possible.
“Every resident in the Region of Queens would like to have lower taxes and never would like to see increases and we worked hard, we looking at double that increase when we began the process.”
RCMP service fees were raised by 1.3 per cent and the municipality is also upping its contribution to education costs.
Council says they will continue their low-income tax rebate this year to help minimize the impact of the increase.
However, Dagley says he believes residents will understand the need for the bump in taxes.
“We brought it to the lowest amount that we felt was possible and still progress in the Region of Queens where we need to take our economic development and grow our economy and population.”
The municipality has set aside $100,000 in its aim to attract businesses and tourism.
Half of that will go to a facade cost-sharing program for local businesses to spruce up their exteriors.
The other half will go toward consolidating and creating branding for Queens.
The overall operating budget is just over $19.7 million.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
@BrittWentzell
