Kincardine Council is one step closer to finalizing its 2010 budget.
The 31.7 million dollar document represents a 7.87 per cent increase in taxes.
Mayor Larry Kramer says councillors wanted the tax rate lower, but there’s only so much they can do.
On an average home assessed in Kincardine at 186 thousand dollars, it would mean 55 dollars more in taxes this year.
Council was given a list of items from municipal staff to consider, to offset revenue loss this year.
6 items were chosen to be either eliminated or reduced, to save up to 212 thousand dollars.
Some of those items includes the elimination of the Residential Cardboard pick-up for the rest of the year, starting in July.
And The Medical Orphan Patient Clinic will be closed in September
It’s expected two new doctors are starting in the municipality in July, and are expected to cover patient’s needs.
Chief Administrative Officer John deRosenroll says council did the best they could, and it’s not going to please everyone, but they worked with the tools they had.
Final approval of the budget is expected at next Wednesday’s regular council meeting.