LaSalle's 2016 budget includes a proposed 4.5% municipal tax increase.
Administration tabled the budget at Tuesday night's regular council meeting and points to inflation and contractual requirements as reasons for the increase.
Mayor Ken Antaya doesn't see a lot of fat in the document.
"There's not much there. We're going to have to shave it a little bit here and a little bit there if we're going to accommodate any decrease from what's been presented," says Antaya, telling BlackburnNews.com he's leaving it up to council to decide if a tax decrease is in the best interest of the town. "If they want to reduce the taxes, it's going to require some type of reduction in service."
Antaya also points to a lack of provincial funding as an added pressure for the town's budget.
"We're one of probably a handful of municipalities in the entire province that do not receive a single dime," says Antaya. "That hurts."
As part of its tabling of the budget, administration noted the proposed tax increase was larger than what has traditionally been proposed in recent years, blaming lower growth for a drop in revenues while seeing higher operating costs. To combat those pressures, the town's strategic plan outlines the need to attract new construction.
Budget talks are set for December 16, 17 and 18 in council chambers at the LaSalle Civic Centre. The budget is to be available to the public on the town's website today.
