Those living in Essex County will pay a little more in property taxes next year, but not much.
County council passed its 2021 budget Wednesday night with a 0.49 per cent increase for ratepayers.
That works out to $4.70 on a home assessed at $200,000.
"This budget embraces the County's pay-as-you-go philosophy while making vital investments to promote grown and development," said Director of Financial Services and Treasurer Sandra Zwiers. "It promotes quality of life issues that matter to residents like improved roads and a connected trail network. It addresses mental health and addiction issues, and it invests in the mental wellness of our first responders who have been standing tall against COVID-19."
The spending plan includes funds for an EMS Mental Health and Addictions Response Team pilot project. It will respond in real-time to mental health and addiction calls and provide patients with specialized care.
Essex-Windsor EMS will also adopt psychological pre-hire assessments, much like those used by the military and police.
More RPNs and PSWs will be hired at Sun Parlour Home, along with a new coordinator to augment infection prevention and control efforts.
"The dedicated frontline workers with the County of Essex have worked hard to keep this community safe during this pandemic, and this budget provides them the support they need to continue standing strong in the fight against COVID-19," said County Warden Gary McNamara.
Council also signed off on $1,650,000 to renovate ageing housing stocks and boosted funding for a new acute care hospital by $550,000. In 2021, the county will contribute $5.8 million to that project bringing its total commitment to $25-million.
Drivers will be happy to hear the county will spend $51 million to fix the roads and expand capacity. More than two dozen projects are planned for next year.