Mayor Matichuk upset with Sudbury property tax increase
Annual property tax bill for Sudbury homeowners set to go up between $50 and $150
Despite a last-ditch attempt to cut it down, Sudbury city council passed the 2014 budget Tuesday night.
The push by Mayor Marianne Matichuk for a lower tax rate drew some hard words from city councillors.
Matichuk called on the budget vote to be postponed until the new year, while staff find as much as $1 million dollars they don't need to run the city next year.
A 2.9 per cent tax hike is too much for some Sudburians, she said.
"And we owe them to do the best we can. And so far, I think we need to do better."
But after months of budget meetings, including two last week, councillor Terry Kett took offence at the suggestion.
"Mayor Matichuk, you've had a lot of opportunities to cut this budget,” he said.
“So, don't please tell our staff to go cut a million dollars. You cut it. And prove you can do it ... without cutting service."
City councillor Joscelyne Landry-Altmann accused the mayor of politicking.
"It's frankly nothing more than showmanship. And let's not forget there is a re-election next year."
'Difficult time to raise taxes'
Some councillors agreed with the mayor, but the majority didn't see the point in holding up the budget to save just a few dollars on the average tax bill next year.
City councillor Frances Caldarelli thought it was worth a try.
"I think anything that was easy to do has been done," she said. "But I don't think there's any great issue in saying 'take a look.'"
City councillor Claude Berthiaume pointed out Mayor Matichuk voted to add a quarter of a million dollars in spending to the budget just last week — but added he, too, worries about Sudburians on a fixed income.
"It's a difficult time to raise taxes 2.9 per cent, but I think we did everything that was possible. And I think the discussion is over. We did what we could."
The budget passed by a vote of 7 to 5, with councillor Doug Craig changing his vote to a “no” from last week.
The annual property tax bill for Sudbury homeowners is now set to go up between $50 and $150 next year.