LaSalle Releases 2017 Proposed Budget

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The Town of LaSalle budget is out, and town administration is recommending that Council approve a 0.46% tax increase in the 2017 budget.

The town says that residential tax payers will see an increase in the overall tax bill due in part to the recent municipal property assessment aorporation reassessment. Most residential properties in LaSalle have seen an increase in value to their property.

If approved, the municipal levy will increase by $1,912,900. After taking into account $750,000 of assessment increase from new construction, the effect of the proposed levy increase on the average residential property will be a 4.30% increase of municipal tax paid. This 4.30% increase consists of a 3.83% average increase in assessment on existing properties plus a proposed 0.46% municipal tax rate increase.

“It is Council’s intent to enter into budget deliberations with a focus of sustaining the services we have come to expect and provide for the future, while maintaining our commitment to keeping the taxes at an affordable level,” said Mayor Ken Antaya.

The 2017 proposed budget has been prepared on a two-step basis. The first step is the increase from the 2016 approved budget which are contractual based or mandatory inflationary factors to maintain the existing level of service. This amounts to $791,700 and is mandatory to maintain the current level of service.

The second step is the increase related to growth and service level changes. This amounts to $1,121,200 for several projects. The highest increase is $600,000 to capital funding as part of a mulit-year plan to fund the replacement of existing infrastructure. Some of the other proposed increases include $100,000 for the build-up of operating costs for a proposed fire department substation (construction of the substation is included in the 2017 proposed capital budget); $60,000 for the operating costs of a new splash pad (construction of a splash pad is included in the 2017 proposed capital budget); and $361,200 for various other service level increases. All of these initiatives will be presented to LaSalle Council during the budget deliberation sessions in December.

LaSalle Council will make the final decision on which service level changes will be included in the 2017 budget.

The 2017 draft budget is now available on the Town of LaSalle website.

Earlier than in past years, the budget will be deliberated December 7th to 9th.