Taxpayers in Mamora and Lake are facing an 8.3% tax increase this year.
Marmora and Lake approved its 2025 budget last week, ultimately trimming $77,000 from the draft budget and lowering the potential tax increase from 9.21% to 8.3.
Council was tasked with trying to balance community pressures and infrastructure requirements while keeping taxes affordable.
Total expenses are forecasted at $12.97 million, with $6.07 of that being covered by other sources of revenue and the balance coming from property taxation.
Marmora’s capital budget for 2025 is $2.51 million.
There is $625,000 earmarked for the rehabilitation of Centreline Road from Beaver Creek Road to O’Heir Road and Jennison Road from Dickey Lake Road to its endpoint.
Also included in the capital budget is $694,500 for equipment replacement in the Fire and Environmental Services departments, $325,000 for parks equipment and improvements, $331,000 for infrastructure replacement at the Arena, and $200,000 for reserve building for future bridge repair and replacement needs.
Other projects total $334,500.
The 8.3% tax increase will mean an extra $199 for the average residential property assessment value of $168,000, or about $17 per month.
This overall increase includes the impact of the County of Hastings budget.
One of the difficulties for Marmora and Lake is that the median MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) assessment for the community is $168,000 with more than 60% of the municipality’s assessments falling into the range of $168,000 or less.
