Pictou tax rates to remain status quo

PICTOU — The Town of Pictou has been able to hold the line on its tax rates for another year.

Town accountant Corey Smith told councillors Monday that the residential tax rate will remain at 1.64 per $100 assessment and the commercial rate will be $4.34. It is projecting an operating budget of $5.7 million, but this was not achieved without cutting some costs in many departments. He said since assessments are down slight this fiscal year, revenue from taxes is expected to drop by one per cent. The town is expecting to collect $4.2 million in taxes in 2018-2019. All expenses such as protective services, education, transportation, environmental health services, public health services and recreation are expected to be reduced by small amounts to help the town meet its targets.

The town has budgeted $35,000 for heat and maintenance on the former Pictou Academy building and $62,000 as part of its contribution to the new Regional Enterprise Network. It is also allotting $32,000 to Regional Emergency Management Organization, $20,000 to a new affordable housing initiative, $6,000 to shared services and is expecting to increase the amount for community grants by $12,000.

Smith said the town did end its 2017-18 fiscal year with a $280,000 surplus mostly due to the absence of a town CAO. When former Pictou CAO Scott Conrod left his position, town council assumed the role of CAO until Dan Troke, the current CAO, was hired. Other gains in revenue were made through protective services and some costing in the recreation and culture department.