|
Ajax
Budget – 2004 The 2004 Ajax budget was approved by Council at their February 23, 2004 Council meeting. A number of factors impacted on the 2004 budget as stated below; · Collective salary/benefit increases (return to full OMERS contributions) · Annualization of staff costs (hired in 2003) · Need to hire staff in all departments due to growth in the town · Hiring 8 firefighters (staffing for the new fire hall slated for opening in 2005) · Rising insurance costs · Strong housing market continuing to generate revenues & assessment growth. · Need to strengthen reserves & reserve fund balances. The approved budget maintains existing service levels with a freeze on increasing staff complement with the exception of the hiring of the eight firefighters. It also allows the municipality to pay for committed and uncontrollable costs in 2004. The Town’s tax rate will increase 4.1% which amounts to about $31.00 on a home valued at $200.000.00. Many other factors have to be taken into consideration to determine the impact on the final tax bill for any individual’s property taxes. These include changes to Region wide property tax policies, education tax rates (established by the Province) and Durham Region tax rates and reassessment impacts. It is becoming increasingly difficult for
Ajax to respond to the pressures of an aging infrastructure and an
expanding population which requires an increased service delivery area
and other external factors (such as rising insurance costs etc.) beyond
our control. At the same time we must balance the ability of the local
taxpayer to meet these demands. Although this budget attempts to do just that,
there is recognition that
the maintenance and rehabilitation of our existing infrastructure
remains seriously under funded and this budget also does not provide the
staff resources necessary to meet the future demands of a high growth
municipality. In
addition; it also does not address the strengthening of our reserve
funds. Unless funding support from other levels of government come to the rescue of municipalities these pressures will continue to mount and become increasingly more difficult to address. For further detailed information on the Ajax budget please visit the Town of Ajax website at www.townofajax.com |