Strathmore taxes on the rise

By Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean Times Contributor

Strathmore homeowners will see a 4.9 per cent increase in their municipal tax bill in 2020.
The 2020-2022 long-term plan was adopted by Strathmore town council on Dec. 18.
On a $300,000 home, the increase should be around $89 per year or $7.42 per month.
“We’re in a tough situation because you want to keep property taxes low, but you can’t keep them so low that you’re falling behind on infrastructure and maintenance,” said Pat Fule, Strathmore mayor.
“We agonized over it but we voted for an increase – the mayor is not exempt and neither are the councillors.”
The town also made its own budget cuts. Town of Strathmore employees are foregoing their cost-of-living increases, while individual departments found efficiencies to reduce advertising and promotions, paper and binding, and conference fees, and town council is reducing its own budget by 15 per cent. They managed to shave $785,890 off the expenses. Unfortunately, the increased budget pressures were just over $2 million.
New builds and permits were down last year which contributed to lower revenues.
Business taxes will also be increasing at 6.9 per cent but for 2020, the town will be removing business licence fees.
“To be honest, I have a good feeling about 2020. I think we’re going to see more housing starts, we’re actually getting to a point where more people are aware of us” Fule said. He added the advertising and promotion the town has been doing is beginning to pay off.
They’ve also been working to make mortgages easier, passing the bylaw to allow more secondary suites in older homes and also in new home builds.
Strathmore also has a lot of amenities. Recreational buildings such as the aquatic centre and the arena are highly subsidized, Fule said.
Those centres, he noted, can help build the town through attracting people to move here and also by attracting events like the Summer Games, tournaments and Hometown Hockey.
“People can see where those tax dollars go,” the Mayor concluded.