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City of Barrie proposing 2.75% property tax increase

Translates to average increase of $114 annually
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NEWS RELEASE

CITY OF BARRIE

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HIGHLIGHTS: City of Barrie General Committee Meeting

DATE: Jan. 22, 2018

2018 Budget

Barrie Councillors discussed the 2018 Business Plan - the city’s operating and capital budget. 

The proposed 2.75% property tax increase is a blended municipal/education rate.

For Barrie homeowners, 55% of their property tax bill funds city services, 31% funds the city’s service partners - Barrie police, the County of Simcoe, Barrie Public Library - and 14% is for education. School boards do not have the authority to levy taxes, so their portion of the property taxes must be collected by municipalities.

The capital portion of the budget is for projects which create, enhance or restore City services such as roads, bridges, buildings, land, equipment and vehicles. It is funded through a combination of property taxes, development charges, city debt, grants, service rates and reserves.

The budget also includes $135 million in infrastructure. This includes $60 million for the Harvie Road crossing of Highway 400, $15 million to widen and reconstruct Mapleview Drive East from County Lane to Yonge Street and $3 million to continue the city’s road resurfacing program. There is also $92 million for the Barrie-Simone Emergency Services Campus for Barrie police and Simcoe County paramedic services.

Councillors made several amendments to the Budget, some of which include:

  • The contribution to the city’s tax capital reserve was reduced by $625,000, which reduced the tax increase by 0.25%. This $625,000 reduction in the capital reserve is expected to be offset by the Alectra dividend later this year.   
  • Increase to the Barrie Public Library’s budget to deal with security and landscaping. 
  • The daily waterfront parking fee for non-Barrie residents was increased to $20 from $15. Barrie residents will continue to have free parking when displaying a Resident Waterfront Parking Pass in the applicable waterfront lots. 
  • Increase of $2,500 to the budget to buy cigarette receptacles for downtown Barrie, to be installed and maintained by the Downtown BIA.
  • Work on landfill reclamation is finishing. The work will be moving from a capital project to an operating project. The impact on the tax rate was reduced by $250,000 to by paying for this work from the Landfill Development Reserve. 
  • Staff were directed to report to finance and corporate service on a number of capital projects, with regards to alternatives to debt financing. The use of debt for road rehabilitation and expanded capacity projects, continue to be discouraged.

Based on amendments by the Mayor and Councillors, the proposed property tax increase now stands at 2.75%. This breaks down to 1.75% increase to deliver services from the city and its service partners and a 1% increase to replace and renew Barrie’s infrastructure - city roads, bridges, and buildings. That 1% will generate another $2.5 million to fund infrastructure.

For the average Barrie home assessed at $334,000, this increase translates to an additional $114 annually, bringing the total average tax bill to $4,250. 

City services funded by the budget include over 60 different services including police and fire, recreation, cultural events, parks, roads, snow removal, garbage and recyclables collection, water and sewer services, and stormwater protection.

Water and Wastewater

For a typical Barrie home consuming 180 cubic metres of water annually, the water bill is proposed to increase by $9 this year to $333 and the wastewater bill will increase by $14 to a total of $468. 

Barrie City Council will consider final approval of the operating/capital budget at its Jan. 29 meeting.

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