Essex Town Council has managed to trim this year's general mill rate increase to a svelt 2.36%.
When the 2017 budget first came to council on February 6, the increase was over 20%. Councillors managed to bring that down to 5.25% that night after chopping some 50 items from this year's spending plan.
Monday night, they further sharpened their knives and cut the proposed increase almost in half. Dipping into the reserves will also help pay for $7.1-million in infrastructure projects.
The increase works out to another $28 on the general tax bill for an average home valued at $160,000. Urban taxpayers will also have to fork out another $15 to cover the funding gap for storm water infrastructure.
Council will now consider the adoption of the five-year financial plan.