Budgeting

The city’s Public Works and Transit bore the brunt of cuts as city council last night finalized its budget and approved a tax levy increase of 4.34%.
That means the average single family home in the Sault will see a tax increase of around $112.
Council had been facing a 5.63% increase when it began deliberations last night but staff suggested some measures which brought the increase below 5% including eliminating leaf and yard waste collection in the summer months,
Council also decided to have the landfill closed on Saturday’s over the winter months and the Household Hazardous Waste Depot now located at the landfill site will remain closed during the winter months.
There had been consideration in cutting back on the city’s snow bank removal program but council didn’t approve the measure.
However council did give the go ahead to cut the miscellaneous road construction budget by over 800-thousand dollars.
That work specifically involves road resurfacing work——however work on repairing pot holes will remain in place and the city will spend 11 million dollars on road construction projects this year.