The Town of Aurora is proposing a property tax increase of 3.5 per cent in its upcoming budget for 2025, and an increase of 2.9 per cent for 2026.
That shakes out to an annual increase of $87.52 in 2025 for a home assessed at $800,000, and an annual increase of $75.05 in 2026.
The quarterly water bill is also set to go up by $19.62 for 2025 and $19.26 for 2026, based on an average water consumption of 54 cubic metres per quarter.
Presenting the budget to council at its Nov. 5 committee of the whole meeting, Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas said the “budget maintains all current service levels,” adding there are strategic investments planned in “key areas.”
“It was extremely important to keep this tax increase as low as possible, as I know that many people in our community continue to feel financially strained,” he added. “The inflationary portion of the tax levy is lower than the Consumer Price Index, and the Town of Aurora continues to strive to keep the levy in line or below the level of inflation.”
What the money will be spent on
The largest chunk of the $125.9-million 2025 operating budget would go to town staff and salaries, totalling $40.9 million.
That’s followed by $27.7 million in spending on program costs, water and wastewater services, which are bought from York Region, costing $22.1 million, a contribution of $17.6 million to town reserves, while $13.4 million is going to Central York Fire Services, and $4.2 million to the Aurora Public Library.
The capital budget plans for $65.3 million in spending in 2025, with $30.9 million in new capital budget authority, but no new debt authority.
The 10-year plan includes $371.2 million of capital investments, with asset management and growth making up most of that figure, according to town finance director Rachel Wainwright-van Kessel.
Mrakas highlighted several capital projects, including plans to improve the Benjamin Pearson Park boardwalk, upgrade technology to allow for online tax and water billing for residents, conduct a traffic calming study, and develop a community planning permit bylaw, with the aim of streamlining zoning and approval processes.
There’s also spending planned for infrastructure improvements.
Why are taxes going up?
Wainwright-van Kessel said the big drivers behind the tax hike are “inflationary type increases” with the town’s budget, pointing to some of its multi-year operating contracts, including roads and street lights.
There are also higher contributions to asset management reserves, paid for through a one per cent increase in the tax levy.
However, Wainwright-van Kessel said while inflation has pushed costs up in some areas, there have been some savings, as well as an increase in the town’s assessment growth, which has helped in “offsetting some of these pressures that we’ve had,” according to Wainwright-van Kessel, and keeping the tax rate at what had been previously forecasted.
Last year there was a 3.8 per cent tax increase.
Next steps
Following the official introduction of the budget at committee of the whole Nov. 5, several budget review meetings will be held, with councillors asked to submit amendments to the budget by Nov. 21.
A final special council meeting is set to be held on Nov. 25.
Mrakas can use his strong mayor powers to veto any amendments up to 10 days after that meeting on Nov. 25.
Council can subsequently override the mayor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote up to 15 days after the veto is made.
If needed, a final special council meeting can be held on Dec. 20 to adopt the budget.
