December 12, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. Regional Council approved the 2014 Budget and Business Plan earlier this week marking the fourth time in the last eight years (2008, 2010, 2011 and 2014) that Halton Region has achieved a property tax reduction for Regional tax supported programs and services.
What is the Region doing that Burlington seems unable to do? Halton Region has one of the best records in Canada for keeping taxes low while maintaining and enhancing service levels.
Regional civil servants.
“This is great news for residents and businesses in Halton,” said Regional Chair Gary Carr. “We are one of the few municipalities in all of Canada that has actually reduced taxes. By maintaining our AAA credit rating and keeping our taxes low we ensure Halton is competitive which attracts jobs and investment to our community.”
Highlights of key investments in the 2014 budget include:
$177 million in transportation capital investment
$405,000 to create additional child care subsidies
$721,000 to maintain service levels for waste management services
$300,000 to increase the number of SPLIT passes available in the community (subsidy for bus passes for low income residents)
British Royalty paid the Region a visit lat year. Regional Chair Gary Carr was delighted t squire the couple through the Region. Lord and Lady Action are on the left with a beaming Burlington Councillor John Taylor in the centre. The Action’s were in Burlington as part of a farm tour organized by the Region.
$65,000 to support the development of an Agri-tourism Program to attract more tourism to Halton’s rural communities
$195,000 for Locates (Ontario One Call) a new underground infrastructure notification system
$600,000 to support initiatives outlined in the Comprehensive Housing Strategy
$320,000 for assisted housing programs including continued implementation of subsidies for low income residents
The Regional government maintains a stable of about nine communications specialists – these are the people who pump out the press releases and make sure the good news stories are spread far and wide.
The Region is just one of the levels of government represented on your tax bill. The city takes its share, then the school boards ask for their share as well.
The people who do all this work on your behalf are the beneficiaries of one of the best pension plans in the country.
