The town of Stellarton formally passed its budget, which includes the first rise in tax rates in
twenty-five years.
The residential tax rate has increased 6 cents to $1.88 per $100 assessed, while the commercial rate has gone up 15 cents to $4.30 per $100 assessed. The total operating budget has risen 2.2 percent to $9.16 million, with a capital budget of just under $1.5 million.
Mayor Danny MacGillivray reiterated a couple of points made at last week’s special meeting where they went over the budget numbers: that staff worked hard to find cost efficiencies to keep the tax rate increase to a minimum, and that Stellarton’s residential rate remains the lowest for towns in Pictou County.
There will also be a boost in town water rates, subject to approval from the Utility & Review Board. If the Board approves the rate increase, the flat rate will rise $5 a month as of October First, with an additional $5 a month increase beginning in fiscal year 2024-25, by which time the town will have fully installed water meters, enabling homeowners to track their consumption to lower their bills.