Some Midlanders aren’t pleased with the tax increase put forward by town council last week.
So, the group called Midland Concerned Citizens has banded together to create a petition asking councillors to overturn the move.
“We hope to have council and staff revisit the budget to find areas that can greatly reduce the tax increase of 2.5% to 0%,” said Yvonne Tietz, who noted councillors Bill Gordon, Carole McGinn and Beth Prost voted against the tax hike.
“It is our belief that (they) would have needed to reduce the budget by approximately $500,000 to $900,000.”
By doing that, Tietz explained the town could have boasted a budget with no increase in taxes for ratepayer by keeping a zero percent blended (school board and county included) tax increase.
She pointed to other municipalities that have accomplished just that including, Orillia and Collingwood. Neighbouring Penetanguishene, Tay Township and Tiny Township, meanwhile, approved tax increases of 0.10%, 1.2% and 1%, respectively.
The petition notes that council could easily find the reduction by choosing not to give $600,000 to Midland Bay Landing and save a further $140,000 by not hiring a manager of legal & risk services.
“This is estimated to be the equivalent of less than $1 Million reduction in capital or operational spending, and we believe that you can find those savings without impacting core services during a global pandemic," it noted.
The petition goes on to say that Mayor Stewart Strathearn and Deputy Mayor Mike Ross both stated: “Midland is the highest taxed in the County and the lowest income per household.”
Tietz said that makes the tax hike more difficult to fathom and noted the group also finds the town has been spending way too much money at too fast a pace.
“There were several ways that council and staff could have easily reduced spending and obtained the 0% tax increase as we listed a couple on the petition,” she noted.
“Hiring additional town staff when the town office has been closed over the year, and town staff are working from home, just doesn't seem to be realistic. Water and wastewater has gone up a total of 9% yet again this year. Midlanders cannot afford a 2.5% tax increase."
Tietz said she expects strong community support for the petition and is adamant that council needs to take another look at the budget.
“Within one day, we have received over 120 signatures with comments in support of the zero tax increase, all who have been impacted by this global pandemic in one form or another,” she said.
“This is the very reason we started the petition, to give hope to residents who are currently struggling during these crazy times. All area municipalities have considerable tax reduction and we feel that council and staff might find it in their heart to lessen the financial burden on an already difficult pandemic year.”
