The municipal budget process in La Nation continues.
The 2019 draft budget currently lists more than $19.7 million in projected revenues, which represents a three per cent increase in revenues compared to 2018. Within that amount, more than $11.1 million could come from property taxes and $955,000 could come from grants and interest. The draft budget also includes more than $18.8 million in expenses.
In 2018, the revenues were more than $19.1 million and more than $10.7 million of that came from taxes, and more than $1.1 million was from grants and interest. Expenses for 2018 were more than $18.1 million.
Council held public budget meetings on January 14 and 22, but Mayor François St-Amour said, “We’re not finished yet.”
He explained that council has not yet decided if the projected revenue increase will come from relying on growth to the property tax base, or from an increase in the mill rate.
According to municipal budget documents that include information from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), the total assessment value in La Nation has increased by 6.2 per cent from 2018 to 2019.
“I think we can work with no increase in the mill rate,” said St-Amour.
He noted there was an extensive “wish list” of capital projects from councillors at the last budget meeting that has yet to be sorted out.
La Nation councillors will hold another budget public budget meeting on February 7 at 1pm, at the municipal offices at 958 Route 500 West near Casselman.
The final version of the budget will be presented to council for approval on February 25.
