CENTRE WELLINGTON – Centre Wellington property owners can expect a tax levy increase of less than four per cent on their tax bill in 2025.
Approving a 3.49 per cent tax increase for the 2025 budget at a Centre Wellington Committee of the Whole held on Tuesday, CAO Dan Wilson said staff have brought the budget down "as far as we can go" and any further reductions would impact service levels.
This represents a $50 increase on the tax bill for the average home assessed at $393,972 and does not include the county portion of the tax bill.
"To be able to include everything we've included in the budget and only be at 3.49 per cent, in my opinion, is a huge success," said Wilson, at the meeting.
According to Wilson, this budget will allow the municipality to maintain existing service levels, assessment growth and "much needed" staff positions and implement the new termite plan. It also accommodates for reduced provincial grant funding and a $200,000 tax increment grant payment.
It also includes more than $48 million in capital spending with a majority going towards public works and transportation. finance manager Mark Bradley said the new operations centre is the "main driver" of this.
When asked what the potential future impact of the operations centre debt will be on taxpayers, managing director of corporate services and treasurer Adam McNabb said the debt would be primarily funded through development charges, reserve funds and disposition proceeds and is not anticipated to have any impact on taxes.
The budget still needs to be ratified at a council meeting on Dec. 16.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
