Senneville homeowners will face an average property tax increase of about nine per cent, according to the town’s $5.4-million budget for 2014 approved by council Monday.
The owner of a home valued at just under $1.8 million will have a municipal tax bill of about $14,232 this year, while a home valued at $785,800 will have a tax bill of about $6,490.
Overall, the average home tax increase will be 9.1 per cent.
The new residential mill rate is set at $0.7681 per $100 of valuation.
Charges for regional services and costs is set at $3.4 million, about 60 per cent of Senneville’s annual budget, which is down from last year’s $3.6-million agglomeration share. Expenditures on local services is set at $1.6 million, a reduction of about $27,000 on forecasted actual spending from last year, said councillor Charles Mickie, who heads the town’s financial committee.
“We are down to the bare-bone minimum,” he told residents.
Council also tabled a three-year capital works program, earmarking almost $2.5 million for projects. Projects slated for this year include $75,000 to study the future construction of a new town hall and municipal garage, $50,000 on maintenance work for the l’Anse-à-l’Orme bridge, $60,000 to rehabilitate the access route to Highway 40 and $6,000 to install lights on Muir Park Avenue.
“We need a new town hall; this one won’t last much longer,” Mickie said.