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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, December 19, 2012 · 8 Budget adds $55.20 to $400,000 home's tax bill By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Seniors will ride transit for free on Mondays, as of Jan. 7, 2013, thanks to Oakville Town council's approval of the 2013 budget Monday night. The free transit day was just one of the items approved in the budget, which will see a 3.01 per cent hike to the Town portion of the tax bill. When combined with a 0.8 per cent increase in Halton Region's budget and no hike to education rates, the hike is reduced to a 1.47 per cent increase to residential property taxes. It means property owners will pay $13.80 more for every $100,000 their home is worth in 2013 -- an extra $55.20 for a $400,000 home. "We have set for ourselves a guideline of keeping our overall tax increases in line with inflation for this term of council and this budget does that," said Ward 6 Councillor Tom Adams who, once again, was chair of the budget committee. "This budget, like our last budget, is a sustainable budget. We are very proud to be providing services to residents that they both need and value unlike in some jurisdictions where even emergency services like (the fire department) are under threat." Besides the free senior transit day, which will cost $45,200 annually, other service enhancements approved by council included a $138,000 North Service Road East Transit Route 120, which will operate in 2013 on a one-year trial basis, also as of Jan. 7. The route will offer rushhour-only service to North Service Road East -- specifically to new industrial development including the Siemens and Carttera sites. Council also approved spending a one-time $18,600 "We are very proud to be providing services to residents that they both need and value...." Councillor Tom Adams, budget chair, Town of Oakville for signs banning smoking in certain areas of Town parks. Another $64,000 will fund the Town's role in the 2013 Canadian Open next July at Glen Abbey Golf Course while yet another $2,000 went to boost the Oakville Arts Council's Cultural Grants Program from $98,000 to $100,000. Council will save money as a result of changes to Oakville Transit routes 1, 2, 5A, 11, 21, and 24. Dubbed `transit efficiencies,' these are expected to save $326,000 annually. After numerous meetings and delegations from the public, both online and in person, council settled on a $254.3 million operating budget and a $54.7 million capital budget with $152.3 million coming from property taxes. Some of the top capital projects in this year's budget are: $5.5 million for road resurfacing and preservation; $4.7 million for a new maintenance and operations facility in north Oakville; $2.9 million for transit buses; $2.8 million worth of road capacity expansion; $2.5 million to battle the Emerald Ash Borer infestation; and $2.4 million for a north Oakville fire hall. Adams said the budget committee listened to what residents said about where they wanted their tax money spent. Despite limited turnout at the committee's public delegation meetings and open houses, Adams said lots of residents participated through the committee's online idea forum. Adams said the 2013 budget has no major service cuts while continuing to maintain and improve the town's infrastructure and pay down debt. The Town's debt, he said, is expected to drop from $14.6 to $14.3 million in 2013. That debt was $17 million in 2011. Adams said he predicted low tax increases over the next few years -- forecasting a 2.68 per cent hike to residential property taxes in 2014 followed by a 2.33 per cent increase in 2015. Mayor Rob Burton also weighed in on the budget. "We are providing the services and facilities that Oakville voted for by a wide margin and Oakville expects us to deliver that. We do that with unrelenting pursuit of value," he said. "This budget is the best we've done on the tax control front with no cuts to services or facilities, but rather increases." Burton said the future would see the Town focus on asset performance, the building of three million square feet of office development in Midtown, Burloak, North Service Road and the Life Sciences Business Park (generating 15,000 jobs), and the growth of the economy through business with China. www.oakville.ca Skate and Helmet Rentals Now available at the River Oaks Community Centre! $3 - helmet $6 ­ skates $7 ­ combo (skates & helmet) Identification required to rent skates and/or helmets. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver's license, passport, birth certificate or citizenship card. Quantities are limited, and will be rented on a first-come, first serve basis.