Oxford County Approves 2021 Business Plans and Budget

Tuesday, 15 December 2020 14:25

The 2021 Budget for Oxford County calls for a general tax levy of $63.7 million, which is only a 1.4% increase from 2021.

OXFORD COUNTY - Oxford County council has approved the 2021 Business Plans and Budget.

It calls for a general tax levy of $63.7 million, a 1.4% increase from 2020. This means the average homeowner will pay $996 in property taxes this year, based on a residential property being valued at $271,277.

New Oxford County CAO Michael Duben says this is a very responsible budget.

“The County has brought forward a responsible budget that addresses pressing needs in our community now, while preserving our financial strength and flexibility to meet whatever future pressures may be exerted by the pandemic. Our focus throughout the budget planning process has been on how we can support our area municipalities and community partners and, through that, the people of Oxford County.”

Warden Larry Martin says council worked very hard to keep the impact to the taxpayer at a minimum, despite a tough year with COVID-19.

“The 2021 budget addresses a number of Council’s priorities during these exceptional times: maintaining essential infrastructure over the long term; supporting those who support vulnerable people in our community; and securing our economy through stimulus funding, transportation links, and high-speed internet service that allows rural communities to fully participate in a world even more dependent on technology during the pandemic.”

The total budget is $272 million dollars and includes the following big ticket items:

- $66.3 million in maintenance and infrastructure projects, including a watermain extension in Woodstock, construction at the Tillsonburg and Drumbo wastewater treatment plants, and social housing building improvements;

- $442,000 in community grants to support social planning, economic development, small businesses, arts, immigration, physician recruitment, youth initiatives, the Agricultural Award of Excellence and Tillsonburg Airport. This marks a 35.4% increase over 2020 and is meant to address growing social and economic pressures under the pandemic; and

- The County’s share of funding for Southwestern Public Health ($2.3 million) and local conservation authorities ($1.7 million).000 for a total of $50,000; and contribute 2% of the 2021 and 2022 levies to a special reserve for future broadband expansion in underserved rural areas.

The County budget also includes special levies of $4 million for Oxford County Library and $95,088 for court security costs in all municipalities except Woodstock, which funds these services through its own budget.

More information on the County budget, including presentations to Council from each of the three special budget meetings, is available at www.oxfordcounty.ca/budget .