Tecumseh Town Council deliberated and approved the 2025 budget Tuesday night.
Deliberations began with a draft municipal levy increase of 5.46 per cent, and council found savings allowing them lower it to 4.33 per cent before approval.
The increase translates into approximately $100 annually for the average residential property assessed at $275,000.
Mayor Gary McNamara characterized the budget as 'responsible' and one that does not cut any residential services.
"So we're continuing to improve the qaulity of life, improving our parks, improving our roads, our sanitary system, certainly our pumping stations, stormwater flood mitigation," he said. "There's a whole host of dollars that are going to be invested to the total of $75 million."
Some projects planned for 2025 include:
He says council was able to find around $500,000 in savings, allowing them to lower the initial proposed rate hike.
"We looked at our investment income and we were able to take about $150,000 of that, instead of putting that directly into reserves, we're able to put that into our operations on a one-time basis," said McNamara."
McNamara says the budget addresses the uncertainty the region faces should president-elect Donald Trump impose his threatened tariffs.
He pointed back to the 2008 recession when nearly 50 tool and mold shops in the area closed their doors, and said the town helped carry their tax burden while they recovered and eventually paid the town back.
"We don't know the future of what a 25 per cent tariff will mean," McNamara said. "Does it mean some of these companies laying off, are we going to go into a recession, and again we're thinking about making sure when 2026 comes, and whatever we have to reconcile in 2025, that we're in a position to be able to do that with reducing as much of the pain that we can."
The budget by-law will presented to council at a future meeting for formal adoption.