With Belleville Council set to finalize its 2022 budget in a few weeks, Mayor Mitch Panciuk says staff are working to keep any tax increase at a minimum.
Council will begin discussing the operating budget March 29.
The mayor says homeowners can expect a tax increase higher than the 1.4% rise in 2021 but adds it will be less than the four percent increases some municipalities have passed this year.
He says costs for everything are rising.
“Anyone who’s gone to the grocery store or the gas station understands what inflation has been doing and the pressures it’s putting on household budgets. And the city budget is in the same category.”
Mayor Panciuk says this will be one of the most challenging budgets they’ve dealt with during this term.
“We have had some big increases already from outside agencies like Hastings County, Quinte Conservation, our library board, the police service board budget and we’re gonna have to find a way to try to balance that. One of the good things is that we are experiencing good growth in our city which helps to lessen the impact.”
The city is also still dealing with lost revenues due to COVID-19.
“Our revenues are down at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre for the programs that we offer. Transit is still down from the ridership and other things. The good news is that our economy is being fairly strong. We’ve had great revenue on building permits and construction values.”
The city passed a nearly $87 million capital budget in December with no taxation increase.
