Municipal taxes in Point Edward are going up about two per cent this year.
Council approved a $4.6 million dollar operating budget Thursday that raises the village portion of the property tax bill by 1.99 per cent. That adds 19 dollars this year per $150,000 of residential assessment. The Lambton County portion of the bill is going up 1.75 per cent while the education levy has yet to be determined.
Mayor Bev Hand said council put a great deal of work into establishing this year's budget given all the pandemic-related challenges.
"This was another of the most difficult budgets I have ever worked on because of the moving targets COVID-19 creates," Hand said in a statement. "It is difficult to determine when operations throughout the village, both public and private, will return to normal and that makes budgeting a very difficult process."
Uncertainty about the reopening of the casino prompted council to again reduce capital spending.
Finance Chair Greg Grimes said council made progress year-over-year in separating the operating budget from casino revenues.
“Those decisions, along with putting money away into reserves, have prepared us well for what we are now going through,” said Grimes. "Thanks to thorough reviews by staff leading up to today we were able to bring forward a responsible budget that addressed the ongoing concerns related to maintaining services to our residents during the pandemic."
Final tax bills will be mailed in the early part of June and will be due July 2 and October 1, 2021.