Hastings County municipalities will pay more this year for their county services.
On Thursday, Hastings County Council approved a 2021 budget of $158.2 million, carrying a 2.18 percent tax increase, about $15 on a home worth $187,000.
The levy increase is 3.1%.
The county budget also includes services such as Long Term Care, Paramedic Services and Community and Human Services.
The cost of these services is shared with the cities: Belleville pays 36%, Quinte West 25% and Hastings County 39%.
Director of Finance Sue Horwood noted that a number of financial reductions in provincial funding, scheduled to occur last year and this year, did not occur because of COVID-19.
“The province recognized the impact of the pandemic on municipal operations and they have not moved forward with all the scheduled changes or in some cases they provided transitional funding.”
Horwood noted, “Each of the county’s operations was impacted by COVID-19 and received provincial or federal funding to provide an essential service to meet the needs of vulnerable residents or in recognition of the additional costs of continuing to support our people and communities.”
Mayor Vic Bodnar of Maynouth made a bid to have the budget be sent back and reduced by one percent.
“We have held our budget to under one percent increase and for the county to, and possible other sources, to increase theirs adversely affects our attempt to keep our budget in line.”
That motion failed.
The budget was approved on a recorded vote of 13 to one, with Mayor Bodnar the only vote against.
