Canada: City wants $93334005.

Byline: kusumv03

A typical homeowner with a property assessed at $189,500 next year could pay $128.88, or 4.3%, more for property taxes next year under a draft 2010 budget presented to city council last night.

The budget calls for property taxes to increase to $3,159.43 next year from $3,030.55 this year for a home assessed at $181,000 this year and $189,500 next year.

The city would collect $5,183,285, or 5.9%, more in taxes next year than it did this year. The net tax levy would increase to $93,334,005 from $88,150,720.

Council will consider several budget cuts and fee increases recommended by city staff that would reduce the property tax increase to 2.3%.

Some of the proposed changes are a 3% increase in ice rental rates, which would increase revenue by $58,112; reducing the contingency for fluctuating fuel prices by $209,760; and drawing $192,415 from a reserve fund to help pay for the ambulance service budget increase.

A 2.3% property tax increase is pretty close to what council should try to achieve through the budget process, Mayor Paul Ayotte said. "We'd like to get it down as low as we can but that seems to be the number at the moment," he said. "It's going to go down for sure."

Council will consider any cuts or additions to the budget during a series of meetings on Nov. 23-26 starting at 5 p. m. each day in the general committee room. Council members received the draft budget last night and they will take the next two weeks to review the documents.

A public meeting to allow residents to provide comments on the budget is scheduled for Dec. 9 at 7 p. m. in the council chambers. Council will consider approving the budget on Dec. 14.

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