The first look at Hamilton's 2015 budget is in – and it proposes a 4.4 per cent tax hike, or $136 to the average household tax bill.
The 2015 budget overview, which was posted online Monday, states that the city needs to add $35 million to property taxes to maintain last year's service levels.
"While this is higher than the current inflation rate, staff are recommending the preliminary budget as submitted to address current budget requirements, infrastructure funding challenges and to invest in programs that will ensure the City is positioned to take advantage of the economic growth potential which is expected to peak in the near future," the report reads.
It also recommends $4.5 million in new spending, and doesn't include $14 million in spending requests from city departments.
The average tax hike in Hamilton has been under 2 per cent in the last four years.
The budget "pressures" the city is incurring just to continue the level of service provided in 2014 include:
- $6.4 million in cost of living and settlements
- $2.5 million in social housing
- $2 million in winter control and maintenance
- $1.7 million for recreation
- $1.3 million in waste contracts
Pension, employer benefits and government benefits costs are primarily tied to wage increases and are lower than recent years, the city says.
There is a 2.6 per cent increase in submissions from boards and agencies totalling $4.88 million. Most of that, about $4.2 million, is due to an increase in the proposed Hamilton Police Service budget, currently being debated by the police board.
Several of the city's operating programs are also facing what the report calls "significant increases." Housing Services is increasing 4.9 per cent mostly due to the requirement to meet provincial benchmarks for costs. Meanwhile, the Winter Control and Maintenance program is increasing by $2 million because of increased service levels approved last year to clear roads and cycling lanes alongside increased salt contracts.
Public Works is also dealing with a revenue loss from the court house lease and increases in contractual services in the roads and waste programs.
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