Stratford City council approved a tax rate increase of 5.46 per cent Monday night.
That’s $5,948,452 added to the city budget over last year, with the total tax levy coming in at just over $86 million.
A motion to accept the increase was carried by a 7-4 margin, with all members of council in attendance at city hall.
Councillors Larry McCabe, Taylor Briscoe, Bonnie Henderson, Brad Beattie, Mark Hunter, Jo-Dee Burbach and Harj Nijjar were in favour.
Mayor Martin Ritsma and councillors Cody Sebben, Lesley Biehn and Geza Wordofa were opposed.
Ritsma told MyStratfordNow he was hoping to get the increase down to about 5 per cent.
“But then I have to remember…there are items on that budget that are addressing needs for our most needy in our community that historically we haven’t spent that much money on, whether it’s supportive housing, whether it’s support for homelessness.”
Quality of service is exceptional for a community of its size, Ritsma added.
Ritsma said now that the 2025 budget is passed, the city can get moving on tenders, bids and projects to move business along.
