Hastings County levy jumps 5%

Hastings County has set a 2020 budget with an increased levy for the municipalities.

On Monday, County Council approved a budget of $148.2 million.

The net cost to the municipalities is $39.5 million, creating a levy increase of 5.1 percent.

This means an additional $25 on the tax bill of a typical taxpayer, with a residential assessment of $185,500.

In presenting the figures, Director of Finance Sue Horwood said the increase is aimed at addressing the service gaps created through an increase in demand for service, and a decrease in provincial funding.

Warden Rick Phillips tells Quinte News more service for residents in Long Term Care accounts for some of the increase.

In an attempt to reach the provincial goal of four hours of direct care per day per resident, the county increased nursing/personal care hours: 3 hours at Hastings Manor in Belleville and 3.1 hours at Hastings Centennial Manor in Bancroft.

An aging population, and call volume pressures, were noted as the reasons for an additional staffed ambulance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Money designated for a new ambulance station adds to the budget.

Phillips added, “It has been more than five years since we added resources and during  that time our call volumes, especially emergency calls, had increased to the point where we needed to act.”

Mayor of Centre Hastings Tom Deline, who has long called for such a move, commented that he appreciated the move to have an ambulance base in the central area.

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In her presentation, she showed that Community and Human Services, (social services), accounts for 54% of the budget, and Long Term Care accounts for 23-percent.

Of the $33.6 million for shared services, Belleville pays 42%, Quinte West and Hastings County each pay 29-percent.