Brockton Council has passed its 2012 budget — and have made no last minute changes.
The 12 million dollar budget represents a one per cent increase on the municipal tax rate.
This works out to be an increase of almost 11 dollars ($10.73) on the average property assessed at 138 thousand dollars.
Mayor David Inglis calls the budget “fair and manageable.”
He says the one per cent increase will allow the municipality to put 100 thousand dollars into the reserve funds to save for future projects.
Chris Peabody was the lone councillor to oppose the budget.
He says the one percent increase was too high — and he claims the increased property assessments (MPAC) will make the increase feel like 7 per cent.
Peabody believes Council and staff could have worked harder to reduce the tax rate.
Councillor Anne-Louise Gibbons defends the small tax hike.
She says it’s prudent Brockton set aside extra funds now to prepare for any costly surprises and expenditures of the future.
Some of the bigger ticket items in the budget include 2.5 million dollars in street costs, 2.2 million for OPP service and 850 thousand in fire costs.
