Owen Sound City Hall. (file photo)
The annual property tax bill for the average assessed home in Owen Sound will increase by just over $72 next year if council adopts the 2021 draft budget as proposed.
City councillors continued budget deliberations on Thursday and reviewed the $31.6-million draft operating budget for 2021.
Owen Sound’s Director of Corporate Services Kate Allan says the estimated combined tax increase – including county and municipal levies – is 1.9 per cent. That would result in $72.43 more in yearly residential taxes for the average assessment of $220,000.
“For a number of years we’ve consistently tried to keep our budget increases lower than any of the municipalities around us or others that are comparable to us,” Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy says. “We’ve done a pretty good job at that. This again is consistent with that goal.”
The 2021 proposed police services operating budget is $7.8-million, an increase of 2.73 per cent over 2020.
The police budget increase is driven by a 2.3 per cent increase in wages and the addition of two full-time uniformed officers, a city budget report explains.
Owen Sound Police Chief Craig Ambrose made a presentation to councillors Thursday about the need for additional officers. He highlighted an increased workload for the department since 2011, with three less officers on staff now, as calls for service, crime severity and criminal charge violations have been increasing.
“It’s not sustainable. The workload for the officers is incredible. That workload continues to grow every year. And, really I think now it’s reaching its breaking point,” Ambrose explains. “When you start looking at the work volume, No. 3 in the province for criminal charges laid when you’re in what is supposed to be considered a small town that is quiet and not that busy.”
“That’s the perception people have,” Ambrose continues. “But, the reality is it’s not that way at all. It’s always busy here and there’s always a queue of calls waiting.”
Ambrose told councillors the Owen Sound Police Service had 40 full-time sworn officers in 2011 and in 2020 there are 37. Since 2011, calls for police service rose by more than 3,000 annually. The number of persons charged by police each year more than doubled. Crime Severity Index, a metric that tries to account for the volume and seriousness of crimes, has risen from 65.32 to 109.34.
Police Chief Ambrose says the reduction in staffing levels has resulted in reactive response to calls for service only. He notes this leaves gaps that would address problem areas. The additional officers would allow proactive duties to meet demands for the service and effectively address crime issues in the city.
As for the proposed 2021 fire department budget: $5.32-million. It’s about $12,000 lower than 2020. A city budget report explains the department will achieve about $50,000 in cost savings as a result of the arbitration award Owen Sound won to alter the minimum staffing clause from five to four firefighters.
Allan notes the city is forecasting a deficit of $330,000 in 2020. A Safe Restart Funding application of $220,000 is outstanding, and the city expects to receive word on approval by the end of the year. Any remaining deficit will be funded by reserves.
The city’s 2021 proposed budget is not adjusted for potential Covid related impacts such as lost recreation facilities revenues, Allan told councillors. She says if Covid persists and there are more significant impacts, there could be some tough decisions to make throughout next year.
Owen Sound’s $12.9-million capital program for 2021 was unveiled at meeting in November.
According to a budget breakdown, the entire proposed 2021 budget (capital/operating) for next year requires $31.4-million to be raised from taxation, an increase of $850,000 over 2020.
A public meeting on next year’s city budget is set for Jan. 18.
The formal by-law finalizing the process is expected to come before council in February.