Early regional budget guidelines released

The region is getting ready to start working on its budget for next year.

In a report presented at a meeting of the finance and administration committee, finance commissioner Jim Clapp laid out the expected budget increases that could be coming for 2016.

According to the report, property taxes will “not exceed an overall increase of 1.75 per cent (after assessment growth) compared to the 2015 approved budget.

The report also details other budget increase caps for other departments, such as 3.9 per cent for the Durham Police Services Board, 2.5 per cent for each conservation authority in the region and 3.0 per cent for Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation’s operations budget.

The average resident in the region, based on the increase in property taxes, will see an increase of $43, according to the report.