Owen Sound council has officially approved its budget and water rates for 2011.
The budget sees a 4.23 per cent increase over last year, and contains a property tax increase of about three per cent when combined with county and education levies.
Residential taxpayers will pay a higher amount than that and commercial taxpayers will pay less, but the final numbers for their classes are not yet available.
Director of financial services Wayne Ritchie says it was a very involved process, with a number of meetings between council and staff between January and March.
He says the public had ample opportunity to offer input into the discussions, including last fall during the municipal election campaign.
New water and wastewater rates were also approved by council.
They will both increase by 10 per cent, although Ritchie points out the increases don’t amount to very much from the standpoint of dollars-and-cents.
The total increase will only be about $1.42 more for residential consumers.
Mayor Deb Haswell says that while no council ever wants to deliver a tax increase, this budget is a responsible one that council can be proud of.
