It could be good news for Belleville taxpayers this year as the city’s budget deliberations got underway yesterday. Manager of Taxation Susan Holland told city council yesterday that that if residential assessment didn’t increase and the budget stays at about the same level as presented, most taxpayers could be winners. Mayor Neil Ellis says there has been good growth in assessment. If the budget stays at a two-and-a-half percent increase, where it is right now, an urban homeowner with a 165-thousand dollar house would pay a two-percent tax increase ….a rural homeowner would face a one-percent hike. Council just barely began line by line discussion yesterday…those deliberations continue today.
The state of Belleville’s police headquarters building played a big role in the opening day of city budget deliberations. Police Board chair Bob Dolan came to council with a long list of immediate health, safety and accessibility repairs, asking for 100-thousand dollars. The issue had been deleted from th city’s capital budget earlier this year on the advice of a city employee. The wrangle then centred around whether or not it would end up part of the permanent police budget….at one point Mayor Neil Ellis called a recess, telling police officials to work it out. The 100-thousand dollar motion lost…council approved 50-thousand for headquarters maintenance.
Belleville is giving cautious support to the move to bring hi-speed internet to Eastern Ontario. Information technology spokesman Mark Coyle told City Council yesterday it would be a big step in helping businesses, particularly in the rural areas of Thurlow Ward. But he said it would also increase hi-speed access to urban areas as well. Coyle said for the city to grow it needs this kind of access. Council approved joining the Network with 237-thousand dollars, but would hold back on the money until the network is actually in place.
