County Taxes Rise with Assessment
The Municipality of Cumberland held its tax rate at the same level as last year but that does not mean the same tax bill.
The Municipality approved a $38.9 million operating budget for 2024-25 at a special council meeting today.
Like everyone in today’s economy, the county faces increased costs due to inflation and population growth. But that growth also led to increased revenue.
Assessments rose by 9.8% — on average — so most taxpayers will receive a tax bill just a little higher than last year.
Of the over $38.9 million in operating expenditures, almost $13 million are mandated by the Province of Nova Scotia for education, policing, and assessment, among others. That includes increases over last year’s contributions such as $625,000 for education and $337,000 for police.
The cost of waste management is up $100,000 and salaries and benefits rose about $700,000 more than last year.
The fire service continues to be a priority as the municipality hired a full-time fire services manager to help role out the Hub service model with four fire departments now the hub for training and certain services channelled to nearby fire departments.
The biggest investment, by far, is the transfer of more than $1.2 million to reserves to provide for capital expenditures in fire apparatus and buildings. In addition, the municipality is budgeting over $2.7 million in operations and administrative costs related to the fire service.
The county houses nearly 90 emergency/fire vehicle vehicles across its is served by 16 volunteer fire departments and provides capital and operating support to each.
The residential and commercial rates remain at $1.14 and $2.71 respectively. Deed transfer tax rates remain the same as do the area rates in the communities of Springhill and Parrsboro, where taxpayers remain responsible for street and sidewalk maintenance, storm water management and streetlights. Sanitary sewer rates in all areas will rise by 5%.
Pugwash ratepayers must add an additional 37 cents per hundred dollars of assessment for residential property, and 44 cents for commercial assessments — a two cent rise over last year’s levy.
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