Bruce County council is not quite ready to sign off on its 2018 budget.
Council turned the proposed budget back to staff, despite a recommendation to approve the document at a 3.54% tax levy increase, asking for an additional $100,000 to be cut, which would bring the tax increase to 3.3%, or $1.4-million.
Warden Mitch Twolan says there was enough concern around the council table to warrant asking staff to come up with additional savings.
He says they have full confidence in their senior staff to come up with the money in the appropriate areas.
"At 3.54%, there was still a few concerns, obviously, that we heard around the table," says Twolan. "I know we have a staff that are very dedicated to the wishes of council that they'll go back to the drawing board and come up with some recommendations."
One suggestion dismissed by council was to cut a proposed $200,000 contribution to affordable housing down to $100,000, but Twolan says that's not an area council wants to be cutting.
"We have to start investing more into affordable housing, so hopefully [senior staff] will come back with ways to getting to 3.3% without going at that $100,000 for affordable housing," says Twolan.
A revised 2018 budget proposal is expected to be tabled for the November 2nd county council meeting.
