Essex County homeowners will see a slight property tax hike this year.
County politicians have officially passed the 2017 budget with a 1.76% property tax increase, or an extra $16.27 this year for a home assessed at $200,000.
County Treasurer, Rob Masonville says wages and roads are the biggest budget impacts, adding "40% of our gross budget is wages and benefits."
Maisonville also says Essex County could soon be delivering tax freezes once external commitments, such as prior hospital levies, are done.
He adds a 0% property tax hike in the county could happen as soon as 2019.
"The county levy for the new hospital is 0.67% instead of 0.5% because the goal is to raise the county's portion of the bill, or $90-million in seven years instead of ten, to save money," says Maisonville. "The budget is not a wish list and doesn't have any frills, but does plan for the long term."
The 2017 budget is $89.7-million.