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3 |Friday December 15, 2017 | OAKVILLE BEAVER |www.insidehalton.com Halton Region hiking property taxes 1.9 per cent by Marta Marychuk Oakville Beaver Staff Halton Regional Council approved its 2018 budget Wednesday, Dec. 13, that includes a 1.9 per cent increase in property taxes for regional services and a 3.8 per cent increase in the water and wastewater rate. The increase has a tax impact of $6 for every $100,000 in current value assessment on a home. The impact for regional services is $4 and the impact for police services is an additional $2. For a home assessed at $500,000, the regional portion of the property tax bill would increase by $30 a year. The 2018 budget and business plan was approved Wednesday with little discussion by council. Budget review meetings for standing committees (Health and Social Services; Planning and Public Works; and, Administration and Finance) were at held the first week of December. Halton' s 2018 gross operating budget is $749.8 million for regional services and $161.2 million for police services, resulting in $911 million for combined services. Meanwhile, Halton' s 2018 capital budget is $442.2 million, consisting of $434.8 million for the Region and $7.4 million for police. "The 2018 budget and business plan supports a high quality of life in Halton, now and into the future," stated Halton Region Chair Gary Carr, in a press release. "It will drive the successful conclusion of our Strategic Action Plan by addressing resident priority areas while preserving our strong, long term financial position and top credit rating to deliver maximum value for taxpayers," Carr added. Spending outlined in the 2018 budget includes: · Children' s Services: $9.4 million increase (no net regional impact) to improve quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity in licensed child care programs based on provincial/federal funding allocated for 2018. · Comprehensive Housing Strategy: $3.2 million increase (no net regional impact) to provide additional rent supplements for Halton housing clients based on Provincial/Federal funding allocated for 2018. · Paramedic Services: $1.8 million to address increasing call volumes and maintain existing service levels. · Roads Capital State-of-Good-Repair: $1.7 million increase ($1.0 million in the operating base budget and $726,000 in federal gas tax funding) to address rising state-of-good-repair needs and updated costs. · Relief Staff Resources: $835,000 increase for the phase-in of additional casual relief hours required to maintain services levels in paramedic services, services for seniors and children' s services. · Greenland Securement: $800,000 increase to provide sustainable funding for the waterfront master plan. · Regional Facilities State-of-Good-Repair: $651,000 increase to support the corporate facilities state-of-good-repair capital program. · Waste Management: $490,000 increase for the inclusion of plastic bags and film in the blue box beginning in April 2018. · Road Maintenance Program: $396,000 increase to support road maintenance contracts with the local municipalities and address growth in the regional road network. · Halton Region Community Investment Fund: $350,000 to increase the fund' s total annual contribution to $2.4 million to support community initiatives with a focus on health or social services. · Capacity to Prevent and Address Homelessness: $346,000 increase (no net regional impact) to help prevent homelessness based on provincial funding allocated for 2018. · Emerald Ash Borer: $121,000 increase in operating contributions to the tax stabilization reserve in support of program implementation by Conservation Halton and Credit Valley Conservation. For more information about the Region' s budget, visit halton.ca/budget Farewell foot pain Our foot care starts with education. We treat all foot issues so you can live without pain & improve mobility. Best Chiropodist / Clinic / Orthotics provider since 2004 · We put care & service first! ^ 905 6321414 9 728 Burloak (South of the QEW) Foot & Health Clinic www.^M RfONiE !c o m H EA TIN G & COOLING DiAGNOSTiC SPECIAL 9 locations to serve you better www.aireone.com OAKVILLE BRANTFORD (905)849-4998 (519)756-3200 (905) 632-0505 L A W O F F IC E Jp JO H N P A L A D IN O www.jplaw.ca · REAL ESTATE · W ILLS & ESTATES C O M M E R C IA L LEA SIN G · C O R PO R A TE KITCHENS OF O AKVILLE AyA KITCHENS OF OAKVILLE 1195 NORTH SERVICE ROAD WEST 447 Speers Road,Suite 200B,Oakville,ON L6K 3S7 Phone: 905.842.3311 Fax: 905.842.7433 V IS A AYAOAKVILLE.COM