Challinor, Mayor Oppose Latest Property Tax Increase
Milton Council recently approved a 5.46 percent increase to the Town of Milton’s 2022 Budget, which represents a 2.93 percent property tax increase this coming year for local taxpayers.
A home in Milton that is currently assessed at $600,000, as of the last market value assessment in January 2016, will pay $4,220 in property taxes, including $1,632 to the Town, $1,670 to the Region and $918 to the school board.
Ward 2 Local Councillor John Challinor II and Mayor Gord Krantz voted against approval of the Town’s 2022 Budget, as proposed.
A majority of Council had supported a staff recom- mendation last fall to limit the 2022 budget increase to 5.26 percent and/or 2.78 percent property tax increase, but later added additional program spending during budget deliberations in early December that exceeded both limits. During the fall discussion, Mr. Challinor, supported by Ward 1 Local & Regional Councillor Colin Best, attempted to have Council request Town staff to return with a 2022 Budget document outlining 2, 3 and 4 percent budget increases only, but was unsuccessful.
During 2022 Budget deliberations in December, Mr. Challinor brought forward a series of motions that would have resulted in a 4.0 percent increase to the Town’s 2022 Budget, which were seconded by Councillor Best. All of them were unsuccessful.
In bringing forward his various motions last fall and in December to limit the increases to the Town’s 2022 Budget, Mr. Challinor argued that rising inflation, stubbornly high unemployment levels and reduced business productivity because of continuing impacts from the global COVID-19 pandemic demand that government at all levels reduce operating budget spending, focus on the delivery of core services only and review their bylaws to determine whether or not some policies and regulations are helping or hindering the private sector in its efforts to generate sustained economic growth and good-paying jobs. CR