While Chatham-Kent Council has done little to shift the residential tax impact, its budget chair hopes they don't make any rash decisions.
"The budget committee is maybe choosing to sacrifice its RRSP account to buy groceries," says chair Derek Robertson.
On Tuesday the committee considered funding $900,000 worth of infrastructure through reserves. That would have represented 0.67% of staff's proposed 1% increase in roads, bridges, etc. The idea was eventually shot down in a 7-11 vote.
Robertson says using one-time funding for the sake of lowering taxes would be irresponsible.
"If you pull money out reserves to lower your base budget, then you need to come up with those monies in subsequent years," Robertson explains. "Frankly you've built a house of cards. It's a false security, and we [would] end up dealing that variance the very next year."
Despite the addition of a new fire inspector, the tax impact dropped from 3.44% to 3.33% on Tuesday.
Staff say the number decreased because they previously included a design study that wasn't a recommended item in the budget. When the new position and removed study were factored in, the difference came in at -0.14%.