It’s scheduled to be a day of head scratching and calculating in Arran Elderslie.
Councillors and department heads will spend all day — starting at 9 AM today –finalizing the 2010 budget.
Mayor Ron Oswald says they have been working for the past month or so to lower an ultimate 34 per cent tax increase; but will not disclose what they are at now.
That high number factors in higher costs, a loss in funding, and keeping services at the status quo.
Oswald says it is a challenging year.
The town is losing 250 thousand dollars in Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding (OMPF), and has to spend one hundred thousand dollars more on OPP costs.
Those two factors alone account for ten percent of the budget.
Oswald admits – some services will be lost, but will not say what ones.
He does say they are spending a lot of money on two projects in particular; a water tower in Tara and the Chesley Big Dig.
He also says staff has worked hard to keep what they can – while under pressure to make cuts.
Oswald hopes a final number will come after today’s marathon session and they’ll be able to finalize and adopt the budget late mid to late next month.
Oswald says council is committed to giving residents a tax hike that is reasonable and responsible.