At a Special General Committee Meeting on December 12, 2023, Town staff will present for the first time the Draft 2024 Consolidated Budget, which includes the operational and capital expenses for the Town for the coming year. This 2024 Draft Budget represents Town Staff’s preliminary financial recommendations to Mayor & Council.
A draft budget is introduced as a starting point to initiate conversations regarding investments in the Town’s assets and services. It provides General Committee and the public with an overview of all expenditures and helps inform decision-making when it comes to prioritizing needs in the community.
The 2024 Draft Consolidated Budget will return on January 11, 2024, for further discussion.
“Town Staff look forward to the December 12discussions where Council will have their first chance to hear the budgetary report with staff recommendations and to publicly discuss the Draft Budget,” shares Denise Corry, Chief Administrative Officer at the Town of Huntsville.
“The Town’s budget is not immune to factors such as inflation, increasing costs, and growth, resulting in a higher proposed tax rate than previous years. The Town has endeavored to provide consistent tax rates during pandemic and post-pandemic years to minimize the financial impact to residents,” says Julia McKenzie, Director of Financial Services and Treasurer at the Town of Huntsville. “Our proposed tax rate continues to make Huntsville one of the most competitive municipal tax rates in the province for a town of our size.”
The proposed municipal tax rate increase outlined in the Draft 2024 Consolidated Budget is 15.26%. This translates to an additional $196 per $300,000 of property value per household.
The tax dollars allocated during the Town’s budgetary process go to support municipal services such as: Capital Contributions to fund Town Infrastructure, including Municipal Buildings, Roads, Bridges, Sidewalks, Emergency Vehicles, Maintenance Vehicles, and many others; Operations & Maintenance of Roads, Sidewalks, Bridges, & Stormwater Systems; Recreation, Arts & Culture Programs; Parks & Cemeteries; Fire & Emergency Services; Huntsville Public Library; Transit; Economic Development; and Town Administration & Governance.
For a more detailed breakdown of the Draft 2024 Consolidated Budget found in the Draft Budget Report, please visit the meeting agenda on Huntsville.ca or visit the Budget and Finances page on their website.
To watch live as the Draft 2024 Consolidated Budget is presented to Council at the Special General Committee Meeting on December 12 at 10:30 a.m. please go to: Huntsville.ca