The 2009 municipal budget is a done deal in Huron Kinloss.
Council has approved the 9.4 million dollar budget.
The township will be taking in over 3.7 million dollars from taxpayers this year — that is up by over 3.5 percent from last year.
That means an extra 92 dollars on the tax bill for the average property valued at 205 thousand dollars.
But Mayor Mitch Twolan says it actually means a 1.3 percent drop in the tax rate itself — and adds the increase to property owners will vary considerably because last year was an assessment year.
Twolan’s vote broke the tie to approve the budget, the second year in a row that has happened.
Councillor Anne Eadie voted against the budget.
Eadie says the average assessment increase of seven percent is only an average, and she says it’s been as high as 11 percent on some properties.
Councillor Jim Hanna supported the budget — he says the municipality has assets it needs to maintain.
Hanna says taxes are an unpleasant thing, but they need the revenue to get things done in the township.
67 per cent of the budget is going to operating costs, with 33 per cent going to operating.
51 per cent of tax revenue will go to roads, including construction on Queen Street in Ripley, paving throughout the township, and reserve funds for street improvements in Point Clark.