Councillors in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough have approved their new budget.
The $17.2 million document includes a six-cent increase to both residential and commercial tax rates; residential goes up to $0.77/$100 of assessment, while commercial climbs to $2.74/$100 of assessment.
It was approved at March’s regular municipal council meeting Wednesday afternoon.
After, Vernon Pitts, Guysborough’s warden, said they’re still dealing with a $3 million loss in tax revenue from the wind-up of the Sable offshore project.
“(It’s) a very small tax increase- I don’t think it’s an undue hardship to anyone,” he said. “We all benefitted from the good days- now things are getting a little harder, so we all should lift a little harder.”
Councillors Fin Armsworthy and Dave Hanhams were the only votes against the tax rates, which passed by a vote of 5-2; Armsworthy voted against the budget itself, which passed 6-1.
Pitts said the tax increase is an average of $38 more a year per household.
“What it equates to is approximately ($3.17) per month,” he said. “To me, that’s very minimal- people should be able to afford that.”
It’s the third increase to the municipality’s tax rates in four years; there was no increase in 2020-21, and five-cent increases in both 2018-19 and 2019-20.
The 2021-21 budget includes a $3.5 million capital plan.
