A public meeting held at the Tilbury Arena part of 2016 budget deliberations for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. Photo taken January 20, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)A public meeting held at the Tilbury Arena part of 2016 budget deliberations for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. Photo taken January 20, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
Chatham

Chatham-Kent Residents Want Windsor Streak

Windsor's eight straight years of frozen property taxes are hanging over Chatham-Kent's budget talks.

The second of three public meetings on the 2016 budget, held in Tilbury on Wednesday, had the budget committee explaining why holding the line on taxes was more difficult in Chatham-Kent than in Windsor.

It's not a fair comparison according to committee chair Derek Robertson.

"I feel it's completely invalid. I believe most of council feels it's an invalid comparison," says Robertson. "We're not the same community, we don't have the same comparables . It lacks scientific validity."

Robertson points to the municipality's task of maintaining the most bridges and culverts of any municipality in Ontario as a unique budget challenge in freezing taxes.

"Frankly, having 42 people per square kilometre to service the magnitude of that infrastructure relative to 1,400 people per square kilometre in Windsor — it's not even worth having the comparison," says Robertson, adding any tax freeze can come with some pain. "The pain is highlighted in some of the service cuts we need to discuss"

At the meeting it was suggested to administration to bring in City of Windsor Treasurer Onorio Colucci to advise on the budget. Chatham-Kent CAO Don Shropshire responded to the small crowd gathered in Ryder Hall at the Tilbury Arena by saying the municipality regularly consults with city administration.

Council approved a property tax freeze in its 2015 budget.

A 1.96% property tax increase is proposed for the 2016 budget in addition to a proposed 1% tax increase for infrastructure. Administration says in order to meet the tax increase targets, council needs to consider $900,000 in service reductions.

The last of the three public meetings on the 2016 budget is schedule for 4:30pm-6pm at the Active Lifestyle Centre in Chatham.

Read More Local Stories