It’s that time of year again Milton. No, not the long lines at the shopping malls, the honing of Christmas lists of your kids and the never ending list of holiday parties to attend. Its budget time at the Town of Milton.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is a fun time for your local councillor as well. Over the last year I have talked with you on what your budget priorities are. This past summer myself along with a number of other councillors sat down with you to discuss the issues you found to be important. I have received close to 100 emails over the course of the year of you letting me know what you would like to see.
All of the comments received were sent to staff and what you will see here is a list of the budget documents. This budget will come before council on December 12 and 13th for review/debate/approval. Members of the public are more than welcome, and encouraged to take part in this process as well. If you’d like to know how you can be a part of this important process, please email me mike@mikecluett.ca for more details.
Over the course of the next week or so as I dive into these documents, drink lots of coffee and find more dark circles under my eyes due to lack of sleep, I will be posting more details, my thoughts and attempt to get as many of your comments ready for the budget committee meeting on the 12th. If you want a hard copy of the budget, they can be purchased at Milton Town Hall as well. Email me for details.
A quick overview of the budget will find that it recommends at 4.18% increase in the tax rate. That doesn’t mean your taxes will go up by that amount, its the rate of increase in budget spending. In the past I have stated I wouldn’t support a budget with an increase over the rate of inflation and I look to keep that same commitment here. That rate doesn’t include education, the Region of Halton, the Library levy or DBIA.
I’ll post more details on what can be done to reduce the impact of the tax increase in the coming days. Again, if you have any questions at all, please email or call me anytime. With over 400 pages in the budget document, odds are I will be up late reading it.
Here are the links online from www.milton.ca for the 2012 Budget Documents
Operating and Capital Budgets
The Town’s annual budget is developed by staff in consideration of the guidelines approved by Council in July and input received from the public. Council deliberates and approves the budget in December of each year ensuring an approved budget is in place for the start of the new year.
It’s ON!