Amherstburg Council will have four scenarios to consider as it prepares for the 2015 municipal budget process.
Town staff has supplied three scenarios. They include a 4%, 2% and a 0% property tax increase, but council has instructed administration to come back with one more, one that includes a 5% increase.
"Zero would be ideal because then we shouldn't, in theory, have to increase any taxes," says Mayor Aldo DiCarlo explaining why council wants as many options as possible. "We also want to look at trying to find cuts as well because we're looking to build reserves."
DiCarlo believes most taxpayers won't mind an increase if that's what it takes to bring the town back to financial health.
"No one wants an increase, but when you compare our municipality to equivalent municipalities, especially in our area, we are in about the middle of the pack," he says. "I've had residents say you know for what we have in the town, even if it went up a bit, I'm still okay with it."
Although town council will have an outline of what to expect with a 5% increase, a full report won't likely be available until after budget deliberations start in January.