Proposed four-year Chatham-Kent budget packs average 7.82% annual tax hike

With inflation having a significant impact, Chatham-Kent is looking at a proposed four-year budget with a 7.82 per cent average annual tax hike.

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Municipal staff presented the draft budget in council chambers Wednesday night. Community consultation is set for next week, with budget committee deliberations the week after.

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The proposed hike for 2024 is 6.57 per cent. Of that, inflation accounts for four percentage points, infrastructure 1.5 points, police 0.8 points and other budget items, 0.27 points.

But the final proposed increase won’t be known until council’s budget committee passes the budget.

In years to come, the proposed increases are 8.69 per cent in 2025, 8.29 per cent in 2026, and 7.76 per cent in 2027.

Because it’s a multi-year budget, the municipal budgeting process is starting earlier than in previous years, when budget opening night took place in January.

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Chief administrator Michael Duben credited staff for their efforts, adding the final budget is ultimately council’s decision.

Municipalities across Ontario are facing the same challenges and cost pressures, he said.

“Inflation is a big part of what we have facing us,” Duben said. “Everything costs more. We’re no different that way.

“We have done our very best to make sure that we continue to provide the services at the level that we provide.”

Mayor Darrin Canniff believed the numbers needed to be kept in perspective.

“Inflation’s inflation. That’s the cost to do the same thing this year,” he said, noting that if one subtracts that figure, along with the new infrastructure and police amounts, the proposed tax hike would be 0.27 per cent.

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Canniff said municipal departments did their best to find savings, while maintaining services.

“I think collectively we’ve all experienced whenever we go to take a service away, it’s a big no,” he said. “So, that’s why you’re not seeing any of that. . . We’re not going to close this. We’re not going to stop doing this.”

All budget meetings will be held in person in council chambers and livestreamed on YourTV CK’s YouTube channel.

As in recent years, the two community consultation events will be held virtually.

Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor, budget chair, encouraged residents to provide feedback.

“We’ll have lots of opportunity for community input before (deliberations),” he said.

Anyone wishing to make a deputation can do so on the first night of deliberations Nov. 28. Requests and submissions must be emailed to [email protected] by noon that day.

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Comments also can be submitted by mail to Budget & Performance Services, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, 315 King St. W., Chatham, Ont., N7M 5K8, or by phone to 519-360-1998.

BUDGET DATES

COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS

• Staff will present a brief summary of the draft budget at the start of each community consultation event, followed by public input via a live question-and-answer session.
• The events will take place virtually on Chatham-Kent’s Facebook Live feed (facebook.com/Munic-CK) as follows:
  – Wednesday, Nov. 22, noon to 1 pm
  – Thursday, Nov. 23, 7-8 p.m.

BUDGET DELIBERATIONS

Council will meet to begin budget deliberations:

• Tuesday, Nov. 28, 6-10 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 29, 6-10 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 30, 6-10 p.m.

If more time is required, Tuesday, Dec. 5, and Wednesday, Dec. 6, have been set aside.

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