LaSalles 2023 draft budget proposes 5.25 per cent tax increase

The mayor of LaSalle says there are quite a few pressures impacting the 2023 budget process.

The town's 2023 Draft Budget and Business Plan document have been released for the public to view and if approved, would result in a property tax increase of 5.25 per cent.

Spending increases in the proposed budget include approximately $571,000 for policing costs, $1.3-million for service level changes, and $2.8-million for inflationary changes, including wages and benefits, insurance, fuel and garbage collection.

LaSalle mayor Crystal Meloche says right now they're looking at a couple of pretty big items including garbage collection.

"Last year we had to go out and get a new contract on our garbage collection in the Town of LaSalle, unfortunately that saw an increase of $600,000. What we're trying to do is phase in that increase over three years to try and offset the cost so we're not hit with it all at once," she says.

Meloche says they're going to try their best to get this to an acceptable level but there are very few items in this year's budget that are extras.

"Realistically, if I could even get down to 4.5 percent, I'd be happy, I shouldn't even say happy because I wouldn't be happy. I have to realize, the garbage contract, we don't have a choice. Organics, we don't have a choice. These are things we have to pay for, so I can't go through the budget line by line and go 'okay, let's reduce garbage' because that's not an option for us," she says.

The Town will host a Budget Open House in the lobby at the Vollmer Centre, 2121 Laurier Parkway, on Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The budget sessions will be held on Feb. 8 and if required, on Feb. 9 and 10, in Council Chambers at the LaSalle Civic Centre, 5950 Malden Rd.

The meetings will also be streamed live on the Town of LaSalle YouTube Channel.

Comments from the public about the budget are encouraged and must be submitted in writing to the Clerk by Feb. 3 at 12 p.m.

Click here to find a link to LaSalle's 2023 Draft Budget.