Taxpayers in Elliot Lake are looking at just over seven percent hike in the city budget if no changes are made, but that is highly unlikely.
Elliot Lake council has moved around a number of meetings to focus on the budget.
This week’s session resulted in some proposed changes to the user fee schedule, which outlines the costs of promoting the use of facilities owned and operated by the city.
City deputy treasurer, Tim Vine, told committee members the user fee schedule includes some sizable hikes, but, he also noted that many have not been increased in a “significant period of time”.
After the schedule was approved, Vine told councillors the decision means that the tax levy increase is sitting at just over seven percent and would require further cuts in the operating and capital side to come within a budget increase of 1.5 to 2.5, which is what the majority of councillors hope to see.
