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4- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 13, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Town believes residents prefer tax increase to service cuts Continued from page 1 Budget Committee during a Monday meeting would see the owner of a home with a $500,000 assessment pay an extra $205 a year while the owner of a home with a $350,000 assessment would pay an extra $140 a year. The $252-million budget focused a significant chunk of its funds on emergency services with particular attention being paid to fire services. "The Fire Master plan has identified severe deficiencies with our local service and the Town is having to play catch up," said Ray Green, Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Oakville. To this end staff recommended the hiring of 20 additional firefighters and two additional fire prevention officers to enhance response time and safety. "Standards for fire services are continuously evolving," said Mayor Rob Burton, who sits on the budget committee. "We have to meet the required standards. By moving from three to four firefighters on a truck, we will enable our fire services staff to begin their search and rescue operations faster and at less risk to their personal safety." Money allocated to fire services had a 1.1 per cent or $11 per $100,000 assessment impact on the total property tax bill. Accommodating a growing community also had a hand in driving the property tax level up. "Our base budget provides the same level of services as in previous years," said Patti Elliott-Spencer, Director of Finance and Treasurer. "It does not provide for any increase in demand due to growth or bring in new or enhanced programs desired "This proposed budget provides for a number of new and enhanced programs aligned with Council's priorities. These new programs will include enhancement to heritage planning, customer service initiatives, improvement to transit services and environmental initiatives." Patti Elliot-Spencer, Director of Finance and Treasurer, Town of Oakville by our residents." Elliott-Spencer noted that like all businesses the Town's costs rise each year because of inflation, with the increased cost of fuel, wages and construction having a particular impact. "In order to mitigate this inflationary impact, staff did undertake a thorough review of our Base Budget expenditures," said Elliott-Spencer. "Reductions were made where appropriate. The 2008 budget does not have any sur- HALTON LINEN Sexy Silks Elegant Robes Cozy Cottons PJ's BRA FITTING EXPERTS Petite to Full Figure A-JJ. From T-shirt bra to push up bra s ond m rie costs less than dia late. e ing asts longer than choco L l d an WAREHOUSE SALE NOW ON! 1360 Speers Rd., Oakville (905) 847-2274 MON. - FRI. 10 A.M. - 5:30 P.M. SATURDAY 10 A.M.-5 P.M. SUNDAY. CLOSED CARRIERS WANTED The Oakville Beaver Selected Swimwear up to plus spending capacity and any further reductions would require cuts in services." The base budget's impact on the total property tax bill came in at 0.7 per cent or $7 per $100,000 assessment. Elliott-Spencer said that a survey revealed that the majority of Oakville residents preferred a tax increase to service cuts. The capital levy, impacted by infrastructure renewal, bumped the total property tax bill up another 0.3 per cent or $3 per $100,000 of assessment, while adding and enhancing programs and services took the property tax bill up another 0.6 per cent or $6 per $100,000 of assessment. "This proposed budget provides for a number of new and enhanced programs aligned with Council's priorities. These new programs will include enhancement to heritage planning, customer service initiatives, improvement to transit services and environmental initiatives," said Elliott-Spencer. "Growth in the community also puts greater demands on existing services. New residents expect the same services as existing residents." The Region of Halton added the other 1.4 per cent to the property tax increase. At the meeting's conclu- sion Burton expressed his delight at what he had heard. "This budget is a remarkable achievement. It incorporates what the people have told us they want and the bottom line is they got all that they asked for and there's only an increase of 2.7 per cent added to the local tax bill, (excluding the increase added by the Region)" he said. "At the end of that increase all of these requests and positions that we promised and ran on are delivered. That's a remarkable achievement and I look forward to our only increasing ability to fine tune our financial management over the next three years." The next Budget Committee meeting will take place on Feb. 19, from 1-4 p.m. in Committee Rooms 1 & 2 of Town Hall, which is located at 1225 Trafalgar Rd. The Feb. 19 meeting and meetings on Feb. 22 and 25 will be staff presentations at which various Town departments will present their operating budgets to the Budget Committee. Public delegations will take place on Feb. 26 and 27 (if required). Final approval by council is expected on March 3 at 7 p.m. All meetings are open to the public and any residents who want to register as a delegation can send emails to nfiorentino@oakville.ca or call 905-338-4179. Residents are invited to email their comments to budget2008@oakville.ca. For more information visit www.oakville.ca and click on the Budget 2008 heading. 50% off Gift Certificates Available Cup Sized Swimwear A-FF sizes 6-22 The Oakville Beaver is looking for newspaper carriers in your neighbour hood! 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