Lake Country holding talk on taxes

Lake Country residents can find out Wednesday why their municipal taxes are going up almost nine per cent this year.

A so-called ‘2019 Budget Public Engagement’ will be held from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at the town hall. Chief financial officer Tanya Garost will be on hand to field questions from the public and explain reasons for the tax hike.

A general tax hike of 3.8 per cent is planned, as well as a 4.9 per cent boost for the fire department to pay for a new hall.

The fire hall project was endorsed by voters in a referendum attached to the ballot in October’s civic election.

In total, the owner of a typical single-family home in Lake Country would pay $160 more in municipal taxes this year if the budget is given final approval by council.

This summer, the town plans to collect a total of $13.5 million in property taxes.

Six new municipal employees are to be hired, and one officer added to the Lake Country RCMP detachment.