As it stands right now, the tax increase in Kincardine can take your breath away.
However Mayor Larry Kraemer says the numbers can be deceiving.
Taxpayers right now are looking at a 10.09 per cent tax hike if the numbers remain.
Originally the hike, with everything in, including the 1.3-million hike in changes and obligations, the tax hike number was around 23 per cent.
Kraemer says there are several reasons why the hike is so dramatic.
For one thing, Kincardine takes a hit with a drop in the Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding.
Kraemer says they’re losing 406 thousand dollars and that one item alone represents about an 8 per cent in taxes.
He says council and staff have done as much cutting as they can in the capital and operating budgets.
Kraemer says they’ve done just about all they can do without cutting services and creating lay-offs.
Kraemer says although 10.09 per cent sounds hefty, he says 7 per cent can be attributed to the costs of the new medical centre, which taxpayers have said they want and approve.
Kraemer says take that new expenditure away from the 10 per cent and you’re looking at your more traditional 3 per cent increase this year.
Kincardine council and staff will have another run at the budget this Monday March 8th.
