HomeMy Public PortalAbout2013-05-12_2013-14_Budget PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23, 2013
2013/14 MUNICIPAL BUDGET APPROVED
MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF CHESTER – Just like last year, Municipal Council
approved their Operating and Capital Budgets early, but getting there wasn’t easy.
“Council made a commitment to lead our Municipality into a sustainable and
prosperous future,” said Allen Webber, Warden for the Municipality. “We feel that we
have established a foundation for that with this year’s budget.”
Earlier this year, Council pledged their commitment through their Strategic Plan that
concentrated on economic prosperity, improved service delivery and infrastructure ,
support for sustainable initiatives, and enhanced communications. A combination of
maximizing internal efficiencies and sound financial investment in key projects will help
the Municipality realize many of their goals in the short-term plus pave the way for their
long-term priorities.
Maintaining operations on less money is challenging enough, but add a multi-million
dollar project and a multitude of progressive goals, and Council had their work cut out
for them. With provincial property assessments on the rise, it’s a natural assumption
that the Municipality benefits from the obvious tax revenue. This just isn’t the case.
“Yes, the Municipality will collect over $240,000 in additional tax revenue this year due
to increased assessment,” confirms Warden Webber, “but because the Province is also
expecting municipalities to pay more for services, in reality we will only see a little more
than $3,300 of that additional revenue.”
It’s projected that the Municipality will collect $10,144,508 in property taxes this year.
Of that revenue, $6,653,783 is remitted to the Province for education, protective
services, and regional housing costs. With the remainder, Council has set a number of
long- and short-term goals.
In the short-term, Council and staff will focus on projects related to infrastructure
improvement, such as repairing deteriorating equipment at all central sewer locations,
continuing to improve trail surfaces , and giving attention to municipal public spaces. In
addition, upgrades to infrastructure at the Landfill site will ensure continuity of service,
including construction of a third landfill cell.
Council has also made plans to improve municipal services by cross -training staff to
close gaps and streamline service delivery, establishing partnerships to take part in
regional initiatives like compost production and emergency measures, and completing
ISO Certification to eliminate redundancy and increase workflow.
Council and staff will actively work towards the goals that fit their mandate in the
Integrated Community Sustainability Plan as well. Over the next year or so, the Land-Use
By-law and Planning Strategy will incorporate guidelines for future developments that
will protect vulnerable areas and help shape the Municipality of Chester into what the
community and Council have envisioned.
They have also made economic and environmental sustainability a long-term priority,
identifying several key projects aimed at promoting growth in the Municipality. The
biggest project, of course, is the large-scale wind-to-energy development at the Kaizer
Meadow site, which is scheduled for completion in October. “This project will benefit
our community by strengthening our financial and environmental sustainability,”
Warden Webber pointed out. “The revenue will lessen our dependence on property
taxes as the only means to support growth and development of our community and its
long-term sustainability."
The budget also provides for opportunities in economic development in hopes of
promoting the Municipality and working with existing businesses.
The residential tax rate was increased by 2¢/$100 of assessment and the Commercial
tax rate decreased by 1¢ making it $1.53¢/$100 of assessment. Altogether, this is
equivalent to $257,808 of tax revenue.
For more budget highlights and to view the budget in its entirety, please visit
www.chester.ca or contact the Municipal Office at 902-275-3554.
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jennifer Veinotte, Communications Officer
Municipality of the District of Chester
(902) 275-3554 phone (902) 275-4771 fax
jveinotte@chester.ca