First look at 2017 budget – City proposes 2.5% tax bump

By Joel Wittnebel
The Oshawa Express

Oshawa city council got a first look at the city’s budget today and a proposed 2.5-per-cent tax increase for Oshawa residents.
The increase is needed to cover an additional $3.176 million over the 2016 budget.
According to the city’s budget document, the increase equates to a $55.52 bump on the average tax bill in Oshawa, or for a property assessed at $350,000.
For owners with homes assessed at $375,000, they can expect an increase of almost $60 and for those homes at $450,000, they can expect an increase of approximately $71 for 2017.
The city’s treasurer broke down the 2.5 per cent during the presentation to council, explaining that 1.5 per cent is needed for the operating budget, and the other one percent comes in the form of the proposed infrastructure levy.
All decisions on the budget and the final increase will be set during council’s budget deliberations, set to get underway in January.
For more information on the city’s 2017 budget, see next week’s edition of The Oshawa Express.