Taxes Set to Climb in Mississauga

Here’s a fun one for all you budget hawks out there–the city of Mississauga has released its 2017 proposed Business Plan and Budget and it’s available here.

Before you ask, yes–taxes will go up in 2017.

With finances being top of mind for so many, it’ll be interesting to see how the citizenry reacts to the proposed budget. In a city with escalating costs–especially in terms of infrastructure–residents are no doubt wondering how money will be allocated going forward.

Here’s a quick look at some highlights (courtesy of the city of Mississauga):

• The total operating expenditure budget proposed for 2017 is $759.4 million. According to the city, this amount is offset by revenue from various sources (such as transit fares and recreation fees) totalling $296.7 million. The city adds that the amount that is not offset by these revenues is the net operating budget.
• The net operating budget proposed for 2017 is $462.8 million, compared with $435.3 million in 2016. Next year’s proposed net operating budget is approximately $27.4 million more than the 2016 net operating budget.
• Almost all the budget proposed for 2017 (about 96 per cent or $446.2 million) is there to keep city services running at current levels. This includes services such as: 
• MiWay 
• Fire and Emergency Services
• Roads 
• Parks and Forestry, including 3,120 hectares of parkland and open space, one million city-owned trees, 368 sports fields, 263 playgrounds, two marinas and 10 publicly owned cemeteries
• The Central Library and 17 branch libraries 
• Recreation

The city has also allocated funds for new services.

• New service accounts for between one and two per cent of the proposed budget, or about $5.7 million. As the city grows, its new service includes:
• Continuing MiWay’s growth and adding 45,000 service hours
• Continuing implementation of the Advanced Transportation Management System to mitigate traffic congestion
• Enhancing sidewalk maintenance to eliminate backlog
• Relocating the Square One Older Adult Centre 
• Increasing support for culture groups and local artists 
• Expanding year-round programming and enhancing winter events at Celebration Square improving the Library’s collection to support the City’s population growth
• As for taxes, those are expected to increase.

According to the city, the overall tax impact on residents is a 2.98 per cent increase on the 2017 residential property tax bill. Of this, 1.98 per cent is for the city’s services, and 1.0 per cent for Region of Peel services.

For the owners of an average detached in Mississauga (at a conservative estimated value of $564,000), a 2.98 per cent overall tax increase comes to $147, before any phased-in assessment change.

Starting on November 28, Mississauga’s budget committee will begin deliberations on the proposed 2017 Business Plan and Budget. Deliberations will continue on November 29 and 30 and December 6, 7 and 12.

Council is expected to approve the proposed 2017 Business Plan and Budget on December 14.