2025 Budget deliberations continue

Tillsonburg Town Council is continuing its deliberations on the 2025 Municipal Budget, with final budget approval anticipated by the end of January 2025.

“The first draft of the budget anticipated the tax rate increase could be as high as 13.69 per cent,” says Mayor Deb Gilvesy. “Each year, we ask staff to provide a list of discretionary items for Council consideration and then work together to find efficiencies and the best path forward.”

There are costs over which the municipality has little control, however. The increased cost of policing presents a significant budget pressure.

“The OPP contract increase was initially 3.88 per cent—a figure which was later reduced by the Province to 0.79 per cent,” says Gilvesy. “That reduction helped significantly, but we also asked staff to help identify other potential savings, while still meeting the municipality’s needs.”

“The goal was to bring the tax increase down to a more reasonable 3.08 per cent—or the 12-month average for cost of living,” explains Director of Finance Renato Pullia.

At the second budget meeting, staff delivered Council a sundry list of potential reductions totalling $1.2M. These reductions included limiting new personnel, using 2024 surplus funds to offset 2025 labour costs, reducing overall training costs and allocations for general supplies, as well as removing funding for community grants.

"These changes have brought the tax rate increase to 4.78 per cent, which, on the average residence valued at $242,000, represents an increase of $143.74 annually, $35.93 quarterly or $0.39 daily," says Pullia.

Council supported funding for community events, such as Canada Day fireworks, as well as funding for a temporary walk-in clinic. They also maintained funding for maintenance and renewal of the Town’s infrastructure.  

“Staff had a monumental task to find efficiencies and savings. All departments worked together under the leadership of CAO Kyle Pratt, alongside the Finance team, to get us closer to our goal," says Gilvesy.

Budget deliberations will continue in January, with final budget approval anticipated by the end of January 2025.