Local budget deliberations
Mark
Schadenberg
Municipal
taxes in Oxford are divided into three – city, county and education.
The
County of Oxford has an ominous task of deliberating, delivering and debating
what is the correct direction for Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Ingersoll and five its
townships.
If
you are a dairy farmer with 200 acres or a municipal resident in Woodstock, the
county structure is important for providing many services, but some are somewhat
duplicated.
The
county has a library system and Woodstock has a public library. If you live in
Sweaburg (SouthWest Oxford) you must pay a user (membership-type) fee to withdraw
books from the library. That’s a great idea.
If
you play hockey and you’re from Sweaburg or elsewhere in SouthWest Oxford you
must leave your township to play minor hockey or sign up for figure skating.
Somewhere and somehow user fees must be reflected in those registration costs
as SouthWest Oxford does not have an arena to subsidize. (Arenas and swimming
pool always lose money – heavily subsidized or they would close)
The
County administration has the arduous agenda to supply housing – Woodingford
Lodge for the aging population and social services’ housing supplements.
Oxford
is seeking advice through public consultation and in-house discussions on the
Official Plan. (http://oxfordcounty.ca/Your-Government/Speak-up-Oxford/Campaign-Details/ArticleId/2142/Official-Plan-Review)
While a budget covers a general span of five years, the Official Plan attempts
to delve into the future to predict all trends (demographics) over the next 20
years.
I
have a good friend working in Land Divisions at the county office and that work
is all about land severances, future subdivisions, modifying zonings to create
a possible change-of-use scenario, plus also knowing all the intricate policies
on creating right-of-ways to access lots whether they’re a rural cluster or 300
acres of pasture.
Balancing
the budgets of each of the eight partners individually is not easy and then the
debate begins about how many tax dollars from your area should be re-directed
to the County so it can continue its services.
Oxford’s
mandate also includes the board of health, water supply, garbage and recycling,
tourism, and public works (roads and snow removal, etc)
INGERSOLL
In
Ingersoll, looking at the proposed (draft) budget – they are predicting a $32
increase per average household or 1.75%. (See links below).
NORWICH
There
is a link below noting Norwich Township numbers. This district is interesting
because of the tug-of-war between residents in the town of Norwich versus those
living on a gravel road with a septic system and a drilled well. On March 7,
Norwich passed its 2014 budget which features a $95.00 increase per typical
household.
The
most important percentages in the Norwich dollar picture -- as noted in the
Norwich Gazette -- was this line: “From each tax
dollar paid, 43.7 cents goes to the township, 34.9 cents to the county and 21.4
cents to education.”
Should
Norwich township tax payers be allocated a higher percentage than 34.9 to the
County, a lower number, or is 34.9 an accurate assessment? (How dare I use the
word assessment).
It’s
a fun debate or a frustrating debate?
Oxford County LINKS:
Norwich Gazette LINKS:
http://www.norwichgazette.com/2014/03/10/township-taxes-go-up-55
http://www.norwichgazette.com/2014/03/10/township-taxes-go-up-55
http://www.norwichgazette.com/2014/02/14/oxford-county-approves-costly-new-software
Ingersoll Times LINK:
Town Of Ingersoll Draft Budget LINK:
Mark
Schadenberg, Sales Representative
Senior
Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal
LePage Triland Realty
757 Dundas
St, Woodstock
www.wesellwoodstock.com
(519) 537-1553,
cell or text
Email:
mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter:
markroyallepage
Discussion
. . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination
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