Central Huron budget passed with rate decrease - April 18, 2019

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

Central Huron is back under par as far as its budget is concerned, with Treasurer Terri Rau presenting a budget Monday night with an overall tax rate decrease of 1.78 per cent.

This is the seventh straight year Central Huron has presented a budget with no increase to the tax rate. After five straight years of a tax rate decrease, last year Rau presented a zero per cent overall increase to the tax rate.

The tax rate decrease will represent a reduction of $23.28 in taxes per $100,000 of residential assessment in Central Huron. There has been, however, nearly a 10 per cent increase in assessment across the municipality, Rau said.

While the tax rate is decreasing, spending for Central Huron is on the rise. Rau reported Monday night that there is a 6.5 per cent increase in cash requirements for a total budget of just over $7.4 million, just over $400,000 more than last year’s budget.

Rau told councillors that Central Huron will take just under half of the taxes collected at 49.1 per cent, while 34.4 per cent will go to the county and 16.5 per cent will go to local school boards.

In the coming days, the budget will be posted on Central Huron’s website, which can be found at www.centralhuron.com.