2021-05-19

MODL residents, businesses again escape tax rate increases

Residents in the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) will be paying the same property tax rate this year that they've paid for the past 11 years, and commercial entities for the past eight years, with the approval on May 11 by council of the municipality's proposed 2021-22 operating and capital budgets.

The rates of .81 cents per $100 of assessment for residential, and $1.957 for commercial, leave $32,800 of surplus in MODL's operating budget.

That's based on $32,610,200 in revenue and $32,577,400 in expenses.

As well, the deed transfer tax remains at $1.25 per $100 of assessment, unchanged since 2010. Overall revenue from this tax has increased substantially.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has seen significant property sales in our area," Elana Wentzell, MODL's finance director, told council members in her budget address at the May 11 virtual special council meeting during which the proposed budget officially was presented.

In 2020-21 the deed transfer tax amount was $2, 416,956. That's up from $1,504,353 in 2019-20.

Wentzell noted that MODL performs better than the benchmark on 12 of the 13 financial indicators the Nova Scotia government uses in its Financial Condition Index (FCI). The FCI is designed to helps municipal governments assess their overall financial position. MODL's finance director pointed to "excellence scores for reserves, deficit, capital assets, growth in tax base and debt servicing."

The municipality remains on track to be debt-free by October of this year, despite the pandemic and despite a host of major expenditures planned under its $8,853,300 capital budget and gas tax investment.

"We have maintained the tax rate while investing in important projects such as expanding access to high-speed Internet, the continuations of the LaHave Straight Pipe Replacement Program and significant investments in improving roads and our open spaces," MODL's mayor, Carolyn Bolivar-Getson, stated in a news release issued on May 11.

A number of the proposed expenditures were itemized under the four themes that underline this year's budget: making life affordable, building the local economy, protecting the environment, and investing in the community.

Wentzell noted that the municipality has responded to the pandemic, making it easier for residents to make payments for building and development permits online.

"And the response to the pandemic continues with the renewal of the Communities Facilities Fund." This year's budget sets aside $240,000 for the fund to help organizations impacted by COVID-19 cancellations.

In terms of the environment, the finance director reported that the municipality has replaced 228 straight pipes in the Waste Water Management District, "with a goal of making the Lower LaHave River straight-pipe free by 2023."

Additionally, the municipality is "committed to exploring solutions to the ongoing issues of water and wastewater in the community of Garden Lots to provide "a safe and reliable source of drinking water and alternatives to malfunctioning or poorly constructed onsite sewage disposal systems."

Meanwhile, $50,000 is included in the budget to obtain Nova Scotia Environment regulatory clearance for the former Riverport school site. And the municipality is continuing to "explore flooding control" at Hebbville and the Lower Petite Riviere Watershed. MODL has budgeted $146,000 for Phase 3 of the Petite Riviere Flood Mitigation and Assessment Project.

Its Sustainability Committee is developing an action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for both corporate operations and community emissions. It's aiming to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030.

Other planned expenditures indicated in the budget include: $9,000 for Sherbrooke Lake Stewardship Committee's development of a pilot blue green algae testing monitoring program; $90,000 for the development and construction of a parking area at the Oakland Beach conservation area; $276,000 for the final phase of River Ridge Common; $240,000 on improvements at Indian Falls, the Adventure Trail, New Germany Trail Bridge "and numerous roads at municipal parks and beaches." The municipality is also setting aside: $169,000 for design work and $9.56 million in 2022-23 "for the construction of a safe, active transportation corridor from the Bridgewater town line on North Street to the Osprey Village, including a pedestrian bridge along Highway 10 crossing over Highway 103 with connections on both sides; $560,000 "for future partnerships and opportunities with transportation and active transit;" $40,000 for funding for fire recruitment initiatives; $1.5 million investment as part of a collaboration with other governments to improve internet services for up to 2,000 households; and $1.758 million on rural road maintenance and improvement.