Bruce County will take another week before finalizing the 2009 budget.
The Corporate Services Committee went over the consolidated departmental budgets yesterday.
The County has prepared a budget that will see them spend 36.5 million dollars in 2009 — up three percent from 2008.
34 million dollars will be generated through property taxes.
According to Clerk and Treasurer Bettyanne Cobean, the tax levy will be set at 4.69 percent and that will mean each household will a pay an average of another 23 dollars on their tax bill based on a 167 thousand dollar assessment.
However, Council wants to go over every departments budget once again especially in the area of personnel.
Warden Bill Goetz says most of the increase will be going towards staff including new ones that are expected to be hired this year.
He says Council would like to get more details before they make their decision.
Goetz says the County has reached Councils goal of a 3 percent budget increase and there is a good chance that the budget will be finalized next Thursday.
He says he understands that with the poor economy there are people who are out of work but he feels this is a reasonable increase.
Goetz says there are some things the County has no control over.
He says if there is road or other infrastructure work that needs to be done it is better to do it now rather than leave until 2010.
He says there is a chance that the cost of construction may go up next year and in the end they will not be saving anything.