Bathurst maintains tax rate in 2021 balanced budget
Bathurst City Council approved the city’s budget for 2021. The City’s property tax rate will be maintained at $1.7750 for the fifth straight year and the budget will include strategic Capital and Development investments.
The 2021 General Operating Budget is $25,425,657 and the Utility Operating Budget is $7,236,500, totaling $32,662,157, a decrease of almost $427,000 from the 2020 Budget.
Capital investments will include the purchase of a new Fire Truck for the Bathurst Fire Department, paving of a section of St. Peter Avenue from Tetagouche Bridge to Chaleur Street and chip sealing of the Youghall Beach parking lot.
“Over the past two years, we had an aggressive plan to redress the City’s financial position, creating sizeable cap space under our debt ceiling. Achieving that mission allowed us to commit to these critical investments. I am proud of the efforts deployed by all of our management team and staff in order to make this possible. The City and its residents will be the beneficiaries of these efforts”, said Mayor Paolo Fongemie.
New Incentive Programs related to development investments will also be implemented for first-time homeowners, residential and commercial construction, and business incentives.
“Our Council members strongly felt it was important to invest in municipal growth, by creating pathways to opportunities for residents and entrepreneurs. Within two weeks, we will announce these incentive programs, elements that could very well be the boost needed for individuals to commit to buying that first home or activating a plan for a commercial/business venture”, the Mayor said.
The City will also be dedicating more operational funds towards the K.C. Irving Regional Centre and the Bathurst Aquatic Centre.
“The present financial model for municipalities makes so that the majority of recreational infrastructure users do not contribute financially to these facilities. We hope and anticipate that municipal and local governance reform will soon resolve these inequities”, said Fongemie.