The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

2 Friday, February 24, 2023 brooklintowncrier.com Brooklin's Community Newspaper Proud to be a Brooklinite Since 2000. Published 24 times per year. Editor, Richard Bercuson 613-769-8629 • editorofbtc@gmail.com • Circulation 8000 • Delivery via Canada Post Locally owned and operated. A publication of Appletree Graphic Design Inc. We accept advertising in good faith but do not endorse advertisers nor advertisements. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. For advertising information, contact: Email: mulcahy42@rogers.com Next Issue: Friday, March 10, 2023 Deadline: Friday, March 3, 2023 Brooklin TOWN CRIER.com Monday - Thursday 9:00am-7:00pm Friday 9:00am-5:30pm Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm Sunday Closed Reserve Your Vehicle! 1201 Dundas St. East, Whitby SALES 905-668-5846 SERVICE 905-668-8871 PARTS 905-668-8853 Top Dollar for your Trade Order Sierra 1500 • 2.7 Litre ORDER YOUR PRE-OWNED CAR WITH US! SALES (905) 721-6599 SERVICE (905) 721-6588 PARTS (905) 721-6577 445 Winchester Road East, Brooklin Hyundai - Official Partner of the NHL Swing by to take a practice shot on our Net in the showroom! Check out our Pre-Owned Inventory on our website! DO YOU LOVE WINTERDO YOU LOVE WINTER LIKE WE LOVE WINTER?LIKE WE LOVE WINTER? Made for Those Who Drive Hockey!Made for Those Who Drive Hockey! At a Special Council meeting on Feb. 16, Whitby Town Council approved the Town's 2023 Budget, wrapping up the 2023 budget process. The approved budget will result in a 5.8 per cent increase, or an estimated 2 per cent increase on the overall residential bill for Town services. This represents an increase of just over 31 cents per day, per household for the delivery of important services like waste collection, snow clearing and parks maintenance. This budget focuses on maintaining the Town's essential service delivery and existing infrastructure, while planning for growth. The $165 million operating budget will support the continued delivery of the Town's programs and services including fire services, waste collection, parks and trails, maintenance of roads and community facilities, recreation, libraries, and many other important services. The budget also includes $185 million in capital investments like: • playground and accessibility improvements at seven (7) locations, including Rotary and Powell Parks, • park improvements (enhanced seating options, pathways, and gazebo) at Grass Park • environmental sustainability investments that will reduce the Town's net Greenhouse Gas emissions, • new and improved multi-use path and cycling connections,11 kilometres of road resurfacing, including on Burns Street West (from Annes to Brock Street), Bonacord Avenue (from MacKey Drive to McQuay Boulevard), and Hialeah Crescent, and • continued implementation of Downtown Whitby and Downtown Brooklin Community Improvement Plan Grants to support local businesses. QUICK FACTS • Only 9 per cent of all taxes the average household pays are property taxes and 3 per cent of the taxes you pay go to the Town of Whitby. • The Town's portion of the total property tax bill is 34 per cent. The Town is also responsible for collecting property taxes on behalf of the Region of Durham and the School Boards. • During the development of the 2023 Budget, staff identified $0.8 million of budget savings and $1.2 million in revenue adjustments and fee increases to mitigate the 2023 property tax impact. • Whitby remains mid-range for the local taxes paid on a home assessed at $503,000 among Durham lakeshore municipalities. • The Town's tax rebate program to support low-income seniors and low-income homeowners with disabilities will increase to $472 this year. • The approved budget considered community feedback of nearly 3,500 people through the Town's Citizen Budget Tool. Top priorities included the continued revitalization of Whitby's downtowns, more green spaces, and the enhancement of the Town's indoor and outdoor facilities. Whitby Council Approves 2023 Budget