Families and small businesses already struggling with the ill effects of the pandemic, economic downturn, and flaring inflation will be dealt yet another blow when they receive their tax notices next spring.

Town council has given its blessings for a 10 per cent property tax increase following the most convoluted budget deliberations in at least a decade.

It will return for review at council's committee-of-the-whole meeting on Dec. 6, then go before council for final approval on Dec. 13.

Between taxes and utility rate increases, an average home assessed at $455,900 will be paying about $350 more in 2022.

It would have been two per cent higher had not Councillor Morgan Nagel convinced council to reduce the funds being placed into reserves to $600,000 from $1.2 million.

The original draft of the three-year budget called for a seven per cent increase in each of the next three years. Council opted to go with a larger increase upfront, and it looks to be somewhere around a seven per cent increase in 2023.

The plan forecasts the 2024 tax increase will be the total of the municipal price index, growth, and any new services the town may pursue.

Council was told the tax jump is an attempt to maintain existing services. They said failure to do so would see services erode.

Administration incorporated the catch phase "budget for the size we are, not the size we used to be" throughout deliberations. They invested time and resources to expand their PowerPoint presentations throughout deliberations.

Administration assured council that taxes are far lower here than in similar municipalities. Even with the increase, we would be at the low end of the taxation scale.

Mayor Jeff Genung says he would have no problem standing on main street and defending this budget. He says we've been getting a steal of a deal for stellar services.

"I think we would be making a grave mistake in not investing in the organization that is providing the services that we've all come to love and brag about in the community."

He believes there's been too much focus on staffing and wages, and not enough on what the budget provides to the community.

In contrast, Councillor Marni Fedeyko expressed strong opposition to the 2022 operational budget and the way it was presented. 

"Being that this was my fifth budget deliberation and the largest increase of taxes being proposed to residents on the books, I assumed information would be clear, concise, well delivered, and certainly well communicated. I feel that has not been the case."

She said she's not opposed to tax increases when they benefit residents, but says the operational budget misses the mark. She says it's heavy on administration and too light on frontline workers.

"I am against increasing taxes that include hefty salary increases for some, positions I am not clear about, a massive increase in management, deliverables that remain fuzzy, and all during a time where food, gas, utilities, and inflation is skyrocketing."

"I absolutely believe we are short-staffed in areas and of course, want to fill the desperately needed positions, but I don’t believe layers upon layers of management spells success."

The budget calls for the hiring of four additional directors, three of which were identified in 2021, and one new manager for a total of $836,970. To be hired is a manager of intergovernmental and corporate communications, organizational strategy director, community services director, engineering and asset management director, and operations director. 

Its calls for the hiring of another three directors and two managers in 2022 for $838,767. While not included in the budget, the administration dangled the idea of hiring a protective services director in the future at a projected cost of $181,781.

A four per cent cost of living adjustment (COLA) is being provided for nonunion management employees, which was labelled a must in the budget presentation. There is also a market-adjusted salary grid that won't be disclosed to the public until the budget is passed. Town council only received a copy of it the night before yesterday's budget meeting.

The total increase in wages and benefits, including COLA, is $747,000 for nonunion management and frontline staff, $284,000 for unionized workers, and $34,000 for town councillors.

Councillor Patrick Wilson voted in favor of reducing funds going into reserves but voted against the main motion. He preferred an increase of eight per cent.