The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg passed their 2020-21 budget at the most recent council meeting.
This year’s budget comes in at $32,577,400 with a $32,800 surplus.
“This Council is dedicated to using taxpayer dollars effectively and responsibly. Through the Budget process, Council must balance provincial and federal priorities, long-term initiatives, immediate needs and opportunities, and public feedback. The information gathered informs Council’s strategic priority setting process, which in turn informed the Budget document preparation,” said Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson.
The MODL is highlighting four aspects of the budget which were points of emphasis this year;
- Making Life Affordable–by maintaining the tax rates, removing financial barriers for children and youth, and property tax rebates for low-income households.
- Building the Local Economy–through partnerships with the business community and initiatives such as high-speed Internet, a large rural road investment, and investment attraction, particularly in Osprey Village.
- Protecting the Environment–continuation of the LaHave River Straight Pipe Program, investments in floodplain mapping and climate change programs, and conservation development.
- Investing in our Community–by providing various recreational opportunities across the Municipality through programming, parks and facilities, and investments in Active Transportation and Anti-Racism and Inclusion program development.
Bolivar Getson commented on the items they focused on saying, “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.”
“Residential and commercial tax rates remain constant in this budget. The residential tax rate has not increased in 12 years, while the commercial rate has remained constant for nine years. We expect to be debt-free in October of this year,” She added.
More stories about this years MODL budget are on the way as we analyze this years budget in it’s entirity.