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16 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, February 24, 2011 Your Halton Connection March 2011 www.halton.ca Regional Council unanimously approves a 0.2% property tax reduction for Regional programs and services by Regional Chair Gary Carr 2HFMHÆB@MSÐ Investment In Halton's Infrastructure Over $130 million for transportation projects, including improvements to: kÏ(?KCQÏ1LMUÏ.?PIU?WÏGLÏ+GJRMLÏ + kÏ SPLF?KRFMPNCÏ0M?BÏGLÏ-?ITGJJCÏ + Ï kÏ"SLB?QÏ1RPCCRÏGLÏ SPJGLERMLÏ?LBÏ -?ITGJJCÏ + kÏ0CEGML?JÏ0M?BÏÏGLÏ+GJRMLÏ + kÏ1RCCJCQÏTCLSCÏGLÏ+GJRMLÏ + kÏ2PCK?GLCÏ0M?BÏGLÏ+GJRMLÏ + kÏ2P?D?JE?PÏ0M?BÏGLÏ&?JRMLÏ&GJJQÏ + kÏ5GLQRMLÏ!FSPAFGJJÏ MSJCT?PBÏGLÏ &?JRMLÏ&GJJQÏ + kÏ,GLRFÏ*GLCÏGLÏ-?ITGJJCÏ + On January 26, Halton Regional Council unanimously approved the Region's 2011 Budget and Business Plan, delivering a 0.2% tax reduction for Regional programs and services. This is the second consecutive year the Region has not increased property taxes for its services, while continuing to invest in important programs for its residents. The 2011 budget is focused on maintaining and enhancing core services and programs for the community, without increasing property taxes. Council remains committed to providing effective Regional programs and services including infrastructure (e.g. Regional roads and water and wastewater facilities), social services, and public health. Among the enhancements to programs and services, the 2011 budget supports Halton's social infrastructure with additional investments, including: $1.5 million increase in funding to support the goal of creating 60 to 100 new social housing units each year $713,500 to leverage existing social housing units to reduce wait lists Two additional paramedics to improve ambulance services using a new Emergency Response Unit The budget also includes over $130 million for transportation projects and over $50 million to maintain existing water and sewer plants and pipes, while managing operating cost pressures including the cost of hydro. When combined with the 4.4% increase in the Halton Regional Police Service budget, Halton taxpayers will see an increase of 1.4% on the total Regional property tax bill. For a typical household with current value assessment of $350,000 this equates to an increase of $18.76 for 2011. Regional Council also approved the rate-supported water and wastewater 2011 budget with a combined increase of 4.1% for Halton residents and businesses. For a typical household using 300 cubic metres of water per year, this equates to an increase of $31.10 over 2010 levels. I am proud to say that over the last five years, the average annual tax increase for Regional programs and services has been approximately half a per cent - one of the lowest among municipalities in Canada. To view the 2011 Budget and Business Plan visit www.halton.ca/budget. Investing in Halton's Social Infrastructure kÏÏ ÏKGJJGMLÏGLAPC?QCÏGLÏDSLBGLEÏRMÏQSNNMPRÏRFCÏEM?JÏ MDÏAPC?RGLEÏÏRMÏÏLCUÏQMAG?JÏFMSQGLEÏSLGRQÏC?AFÏWC?P kÏ2FCÏMNCLGLEÏMDÏRUMÏLCUÏQMAG?JÏFMSQGLEÏBCTCJMNKCLRQÏ UGRFÏÏSLGRQÏDMPÏQCLGMPQÏ QAFCBSJCBÏRMÏMNCLÏGLÏ ,MTCK@CPÏ Ï kÏ ÏRMÏJCTCP?ECÏCVGQRGLEÏQMAG?JÏFMSQGLEÏSLGRQÏRMÏ PCBSACÏQMAG?JÏFMSQGLEÏU?GRÏJGQRQ kÏ'LAPC?QCBÏQSNNMPRQÏRMÏJMUÌGLAMKCÏPCQGBCLRQÏGLAJSBGLEÏ ÏRMÏ?BBPCQQÏNPGMPGRWÏAMKKSLGRWÏLCCBQÏ?LBÏ BCJGTCPWÏMDÏRFCÏ&C?JRFWÏ1KGJCQÏ-LR?PGMÏBCLR?JÏNPMEP?KÏ kÏ ÏRMÏPCJMA?RCÏ?LBÏCVN?LBÏRFCÏ SPJGLERMLÏFC?JRFÏ clinic kÏ2UMÏ?BBGRGML?JÏN?P?KCBGAQÏRMÏGKNPMTCÏ?K@SJ?LACÏ QCPTGACQÏSQGLEÏ?ÏLCUÏ#KCPECLAWÏ0CQNMLQCÏ3LGRÏUFGAFÏ UGJJÏMNCP?RCÏÏFMSPQÏ?ÏB?WÏQCTCLÏB?WQÏ?ÏUCCIÏRMÏ PCQNMLBÏRMÏCKCPECLAGCQÏGLÏ&?JRML Over $50 million for water and wastewater infrastructure projects, including: kÏ5?QF@SPLÏ MMQRCPÏ1R?RGMLÏ 0CF?@GJGR?RGMLÏGLÏ SPJGLERMLÏ + kÏ$GJRCPÏ SGJBGLEÏ3NEP?BCÏ?RÏRFCÏ -?ITGJJCÏ5?RCPÏ.J?LRÏ + kÏÏLCUÏU?RCPK?GLÏMLÏ,CUÏ1RPCCRÏDPMKÏ NNJC@WÏ*GLCÏRMÏ!SK@CPJ?LBÏTCLSCÏ GLÏ SPJGLERMLÏ + Halton Region Meeting Schedule Mar. 22, 9:30 a.m. &C?JRFÏ Ï1MAG?JÏ1CPTGACQÏ!RC Mar. 23, 9:30 a.m. Ï.J?LLGLEÏ Ï.S@JGAÏ5MPIQÏ!RC Mar. 23, 1:30 p.m. BKGLGQRP?RGMLÏ Ï$GL?LACÏ!RC Mar. 30, 9:30 a.m. 0CEGML?JÏ!MSLAGJ +CCRGLEQÏA?LÏ@CÏTGCUCBÏ?RÏwww.halton.ca 2FCÏ0CEGML?JÏ+SLGAGN?JGRWÏMDÏ&?JRMLÏkÏÏ PMLRCÏ0B Ï-?ITGJJCÏ-LR?PGMÏ*+Ï* "G?JÏÏMPÏÌÌÏkÏ2MJJÏDPCCÏÌÌÌÏkÏ227ÏÌÌÏkÏUUU F?JRML A? 5CÏUCJAMKCÏWMSPÏDCCB@?AI Ï!MLR?ARÏAACQQÏ&?JRMLÏ?RÏ?AACQQF?JRMLF?JRML A?Ï .JC?QCÏJCRÏSQÏILMUÏ?QÏQMMLÏ?QÏNMQQG@JCÏGDÏWMSÏUGJJÏ F?TCÏ?LÏ?AACQQG@GJGRWÏMPÏ?AAMKKMB?RGMLÏLCCBÏ?RÏ ?Ï&?JRMLÏ0CEGMLÏFMQRCBÏCTCLRÏMPÏKCCRGLE 2FGQÏN?ECÏF?QÏ@CCLÏBML?RCBÏ@WÏRFGQÏLCUQN?NCPÏ RMÏAMKKSLGA?RCÏGKNMPR?LRÏGLDMPK?RGMLÏRMÏ&?JRMLÏ PCQGBCLRQÏ?RÏLMÏAMQRÏRMÏR?VN?WCPQ