Average residential taxes up $75 in Port Colborne

Port Colborne’s tax hike has been approved.

The owner of an average home assessed at $185,605 will see a total tax increase — including regional and educational components — of between 2.44 and 2.69 per cent, or $74 to $81.

The variation is dependent on the outcome of tax ratio discussions at the regional level, which could result in multi-residential and/or commercial properties paying a lower proportion, which would increase the amount charged against residential properties.

Among the few items affecting the operating budget discussed was the addition of about $8,000 to fund live web streaming of council meetings for the rest of the year.

Councillors approved a $3.6million capital budget of which roughly half is funded through the tax levy. The remainder is split between reserve funds and grants, including some $622,00 in federal gas tax funds.

Road resurfacing, at $1.13 million, is the big-ticket item for this year, with other major spending including $335,000 for vehicle replacement, $300,000 for marina dredging and $193,000 for upgrading and refurbishing the city’s trail network.

Council also formally listed the downtown community improvement plan as its top priority, a massive project involving underground servicing, new roads and sidewalks and burying hydro lines. The project has been long in the making, and in 2017 council was provided with the latest cost estimate of $30 million for all phases.