The levy for the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board is $167,800 lower than expected
Council reduced the hit to the stabilization reserve fund by $1,534,200 to fund the $8.7 million COVID impact (that includes recognizing $1.24 million in 2021 Safe Restart funding)
Insurance costs are $234,400 less than estimated
$138,400 increase for Canada Pension Plan/Employment Insurance costs
$149,400 in reduced debenture interest, MPAC levy, Community Youth & Culture Funding Program ongoing
$30,000 removed for Victoriaville budget for duct cleaning
$15,000 addition to each organization: Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy, Poverty Reduction Strategy and Age Friendly Thunder Bay
$30,000 reduction in Victoria Avenue BIA contribution
$67,900 removal of proposed transit fee increases
The final night of public deputations led to one councillor being ruled out of order.
Council received feedback on the budget Thursday, but it was the first one from Henry Wojack that gave way to chair Mark Bentz putting his foot down with fellow At Large Councillor Aldo Ruberto.
Wojack’s presentation focused on a few topics, which included reducing the municipal tax levy increase by 0.65%. He also wanted to discuss the Police Services Board which gave way to Aldo Ruberto to asking whether Wojack had done research on the number of incidents that local police deal with as compared to municipalities of a similar size.
Thunder Bay, ON, Canada / Country 105 | Thunder Bay s Country
Feb 2, 2021 8:31 PM
Council gave the thumbs up to the 2021 operating and capital budgets, which features a municipal tax levy below two per cent.
Following Tuesday’s final session before pre-budget public deputations on Thursday night, the levy is at 1.83% before growth and 1.60% after growth.
The elected body did vote in favour of a few savings that totaled $548,100, which included post-poning the opening of cashier counter service and the replacement of a generator for fire station #3.
Among the increases council approved included $50,000 for new landing docks at Boulevard Lake and $9,000 annually for increasing the calcium spraying for gravel roads.
2021 budget passes with lowest tax hike in a decade
City council made few major changes as it approved the 2021 budget, with 1.83 per cent tax levy increase lowest since 2011.
Feb 3, 2021 8:04 AM By: Ian Kaufman
City council passed a 2021 budget with a 1.83 per cent tax levy hike before growth Tuesday.
THUNDER BAY – City council has tentatively set the 2021 municipal budget, making few major changes to the proposed version prepared by city administration.
The tax levy hike of 1.83 per cent (1.6 per cent after growth) is the lowest the city has seen since 2011, despite relatively anemic assessment growth of $465,000 in 2020.
Council made perhaps the most important budget decision in August, Mayor Bill Mauro argued, when it directed administration to hold the proposed tax levy increase to an unusually low 2.15 per cent (two per cent after growth) without making significant service cuts.
City Hall - Staff Photo
The Municipal Tax Levy remains below the starting point of 2% heading into February.
Wednesday’s third session of budget deliberations saw the levy increase to 1.98% before growth and 1.75% after growth thanks to a few increases.
In the six hour session, the elected body earmarked $67,900 to freeze transit fares for the remainder of 2021 and added $15,000 each towards the Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy, Age Friendly Thunder Bay and Poverty Free Thunder Bay.
Council also approved a recommended one-time cut from administration of $12,000 for outside boards but soundly defeated three other suggestions for reductions totaling $147,200. They included $109,000 towards the CEDC Reserve Fund, $100,000 for the Clean Green and Beautiful Reserve Fund and a total of $38,200 for CEDC cleaning related expenses.