It's back to the drawing board for LaSalle administration.
LaSalle council met for a 2024 Budget session on Wednesday, December 6, and have requested that administration explore options to reducing the municipal tax rate increase for the upcoming year to either 5 per cent, or 5.5 per cent.
The proposed tax increase was originally presented at 6.85 per cent, which council has expressed is too high of a number for taxpayers
If the proposed 6.85 per cent were to be approved, the levy would see a $3.5-million increase over 2023, and would amount to a $193 annual increase to residents with a home valued at $269,000.
The 2024 budget increases proposes $334,000 for policing costs such as wages and two new constables, $2.2-million for enhancements to things such as funding for master plans, investments in information technology and infrastructure, as well as $1.9-million for inflationary changes such as wages and benefits and garbage collection.
LaSalle Mayor Crystal Meloche says council felt that the proposed rate was too high for LaSalle residents.
"Realizing however that there are some things that can't be removed from the budget, and projects that have to continue to go on. So we've asked them to go back and try to see if they can find some reductions. We didn't actually tell them where to reduce, we just said this is the number we're hoping to be around."
Meloche says it will be a difficult process for administration to make cuts.
"I know we have to get rid of a good portion of the budget to be able to bring it down at all. For the Town of LaSalle to be able to reduce your budget by one per cent, that's $400,000 that has to be removed from the budget. And that's quite a bit when you look at the requirements for the Town of LaSalle right now."
She says there are certain items, such as contractual obligations, that can't be cut from the budget.
"We're also building the second fire hall and we'll be adding more firefighters. We will also be adding two more police officers in the Town of LaSalle. And then we have some capital projects like the widening of Malden Road. So, there are some very big items on the budget for 2024."
Meloche says while technically the deliberation portion is over, residents can still provide their input to administration and council on the proposed budget.
Administration will bring present an updated report to LaSalle council during a meeting on Tuesday, January 9.
The Budget session on Wednesday was streamed live and can be found on the Town of LaSalle YouTube Channel.
The 2024 Proposed Budget and Business plan document is available on the Finance page on the Town's website.