Chatham-Kent residents will see a 1.62% tax hike on their property tax bill this year. 
Council passed the budget last night, and Budget Committee Chair and Councillor Derek Robertson says it’s lower than last year.
“It’s on par with inflation,” Robertson says. “When you include the impact of Bill 148, both infrastructure and Bill 148 have a great impact than 1.62%”
The increase, which works out to about $46 a year on a home valued at $165,000, is going toward infrastructure spending and offsetting the cost of the recent labour law changes.
One item that didn’t get passed last night was the addition of another ambulance.
Robertson some councillors tried to get one added to the budget, but it would have cost around $700,000.
“A Councillor made a recommendation to fund 12 hours of ambulance service per day,” Robertson explains. “I think the budget committee ultimately decided that at best, we gained more data, but we’re taking an incremental step forward, and that we ought to understand what the outcomes of that incremental step forward are prior to making another decision.”
However, an additional ambulance is being purchased at a price tag of $180,000.