Budget deliberations start Tuesday for Tecumseh Town Councillors with a proposed 5.48 per cent increase in the municipal levy.
The increase works out to another $110 a year for a property assessed at $250,000 and raises an additional $1.5-million to, among other things, hire more staff and support a list of new capital projects.
The additional funds will add another $200,000 to the New Infrastructure Levy, boosting it to $2.3-million for near-term capital investments like new washrooms, a pavilion and a water feature in Lakewood Park South, outdoor washrooms at the Maidstone Recreation Centre, and improvements at the Scully and St. Mark's Stormwater Pumping Station and the P.J. Cecille Stormwater Pumping Station.
Lifecycle Reserves will also get another $200,000. The 0.73 per cent boost brings that envelope to $9.7-million. It will pay for improvements in Lacasse Park, restoring the floor damaged by a flood at Tecumseh Arena, and two sanitary serving extensions in Oldcastle.
An organizational review earlier this year recommended another ten new full and part-time employees. That includes a new transportation supervisor, business analyst, paralegal, and records management coordinator.
Essex County Council could finalize its budget on Wednesday night, so its portion of the consolidated increase is still unknown. Once the levy for the Greater Essex County District School Board and the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board is factored in, Tecumseh residents could face a total increase of 5.55 per cent.
Tecumseh's operating budget is calculated at $29-million for this year, while the capital budget is $68-million.
The town has set aside Tuesday and Wednesday for budget deliberations.
