Process for 2015 Budget & Business Plan is beginning with a target date of approval on January 26th.  At Council on December 15 the draft Township budget & business plan will be discussed.  Frankly, the draft property tax increase of 5% is  higher than I anticipated but having read the report I can understand why it is proposed.  How this would translate to the tax rate which residents  receive is unknown at this stage as the latter is influenced by Region and education rates and they are still unknown.  The township rate is about 40% of the final tax levy. If this budget were approved, as is, it would represent a $99 increase on a home assessed at $614,000.  I cannot encourage you enough to get familiarize yourself with the plans for how your tax dollars are spent; now is the time.

The draft business plan proposes new initiatives (activities, projects, headcount). Here are some of them with my comments.

There is a new download which we need to cover in our budget:  One-call Services.  This is the service whereby the exact location of utilities is determined before you dig.  As covered in another report on the agenda it is legislated now that we provide this service and it is estimated to cost $288,000.

It is proposed that 3 new parks be built in 2015:  2 neighbourhood parks in King City (one being in Ward 5, specifically for King Valley/King Station and one for King Dufferin) and 1 community park in Nobleton. I know that these parks are very much wanted.

A back-up generator for Trisan Center at an estimated cost of $100,000is recommended; I believe this is part of our emergency planning effort.

Significant road work is proposed across the Township including 16th SDRD Dufferin to Jane.  At Council I will be asking why there is not a proposal to finish King Station roads with a top surface.  These roads were not finished at the time of installing King City sewers and their condition is unsatisfactory.  Also lacking is any funding for traffic calming.  As Council approved such for Kettleby in November I need to ensure that the funds will be available; given that it will cost only about $20,000 it simply may simply not be visible in the report.  Similarly, I want to ensure that there is fiscal flexibility for traffic calming in Kingscross if the decision is made to implement.

I am very concerned about the magnitude of the budget for supporting our recently approved by-laws for Community Improvement Plans and Maintenance of Designate Heritage Buildings.

Rebuilding sidewalks are in the budget but it is again a only a small increment.  My impatience with our poor pedestrian infrastructure has been elevated by experiencing excellent, up-to-date sidewalks; I refer to the east side of Keele south of King Road!

I know that our street sweeping service was terrible in spring 2014; but, I seriously question the wisdom of becoming self sufficient as a solution. The draft budget is showing purchase of equipment for $250,000.  As this would be funded solely by tax funds (as opposed to development charges or gas tax or a grant) we need to discuss this one very thoroughly.

I regret that we are not funding local improvement charges for private  residential energy conservation projects.  As I have said previously, this would be a means to improve our current housing stock which is not just important for environmental reasons but it also can encourage keeping “the old.”

Understanding a municipal budget plan is not simple…not impossible to do but it does take time and lots of questions.  One critical thing is learning that projects are funded my means other than property taxes; there are also funds from development charges, gas taxes, and government grants.  But, one can only apply these other sources of funding to appropriate projects.  For example, gas tax funds can’t fund building a park; and a development charges can’t fund a back up generator to be used in emergencies caused by nature.

To illustrate this point further.  As mentioned already 2 neighbourhood parks are to be built in King City; eack are in new subdivisions.  Each is estimated to cost $352,000; property taxes will pay only 10% with the rest coming from the development charges collected when the subdivisions were built.

Finally…I know this post is being published <24 hours before the Council meeting at which this budget will be discussed.  No decisions will be made at Dec. 15 meeting.  If you have any questions ro comments over the next 6 weeks don’t hesitate to contact me either directly or by making a comment on this blog; and for sure consider attending Council on January 26th to present your views.