Discussions on Belleville’s 2024 operating budget don’t begin until Tuesday but an additional item has been added that could increase taxes above what’s already been proposed by Mayor Neil Ellis.
Council will see a request that a special one per cent tax levy be added this year and next to increase the budget for the creation of The Bridge services hub for the homeless from $1 million to $3 million.
Any shortfall from the special levies would be made up from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve fund.
The addition comes after Ellis said the city might have to fund the hub itself to have it operating by next winter after not hearing back from the provincial government on a $2 million request.
As originally presented, the budget shows the majority of Belleville taxpayers, those in urban Belleville, would see taxes increase by 4.92 per cent.
Other areas of the city would see somewhat lower increases.
