Newmarket council is forging ahead with a 2.99 per cent tax rate increase in the 2025 budget.
Council reviewed the budget at committee of the whole Dec. 2, the final time before it is due to pass Dec. 9. The more than $247-million budget maintains service levels and includes dollars for projects like Mulock Park, new sports pads, a new online municipal portal for residents and more.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor praised staff and said he is comfortable with where the budget stands today.
"It's a long process, but a lot of work goes into it and I would say that I am very pleased with the budget where it’s at. These are very difficult fiscal times for municipalities, as well as others. Trying to find that balance is very important to us,” Taylor said.
The municipality stuck with the 2.99 per cent increase, as targeted and directed by council for months. The tax hike amounts to about a $75 increase on the average annual property tax bill of a Newmarket home, assessed at $711,000 by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.
Taylor said the increase is lower than most municipalities in the GTA. Aurora is looking at a 3.5 per cent levy increase and King a 3.68 per cent increase, while York Region passed a 4.55 per cent increase.
Among projects in this year’s budget are more than $200,000 for a Main Street parking wayfinding project, $55,000 for the revitalization of a walkway on Main Street connected to Riverwalk Commons, more than $500,000 between a new Clifford Perry Parkette and sports pads for Environmental Park and Proctor Park, and $250,000 to enhance the website.
Newmarket Councillor Bob Kwapis drew attention to about $300,000 budgeted for electric vehicle charging stations at town facilities, meant for staff at public works yards and the like as more of the fleet becomes electrified.
“I'm very happy this is moving forward,” he said. “I'm curious to see the return of the investment of that and long-term focus.”
Staff also presented a year-in-review video, highlighting the many projects the town has completed this year. The video noted construction on the town’s landmark Mulock Park Project is about 44 per cent complete, and that construction will carry on into next year.
Taylor said the town prides itself on keeping its tax rate 10 per cent below the GTA average. He also said council opted to keep the tax rate the same, even when challenged by a potential 0.5 per cent additional increase based on an undisclosed future labour relations manner, recognizing people are going through hard financial times.
“Contrary to what some people at other levels of government think, we’re not bursting with cash and wasting it all in terrible ways,” Taylor said, alluding to comments made by federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilevre in Aurora Friday. “We’re using it very prudently. We’re trying to keep our reserves robust and ready to meet the future.”
Taylor added that most residents in the town want to have service levels remain the same.
“They want us to produce strong services, outstanding parks and recreation opportunities, but to do that in a financially responsible manner,” he said. “With the help of staff, with input from this community and this table, we managed to do that another year,” he said.
