MOPC Approves $18.7 million budget for 2021-2022 fiscal year

The Municipality of Pictou County has approved its 2021-2022 operating budget.

Council approved its $18.7 million budget during a special council meeting on Aug. 23.   Residential tax rates are set at 0.8155 per $100 assessment for residential and resource property and at $1.8255 per $100 assessment for commercial property. 

The Municipality of Pictou County is expecting $17,142,660 in property taxes.  Due to the delay in approving the 2021-2022 operating budget, the payment for the final bill for property taxes has been extended to Nov. 3, 2021.

“Our rural municipality has a long history of being good managers of our taxpayer dollars and I believe this budget continues that record,” said MOPC Warden Robert Parker. “Council does not simply throw money at problems, but we invest wisely where we know it will benefit many of our residents and continue to attract more, which helps us all.”

The municipality’s largest expenditures are protective services at a cost of $4.9 million and education’s mandatory contribution at $5.2 million.  This year’s budget also includes $284,835 in financial support for local community and recreational organizations.

“Our Council, despite a difficult year to hold the taxation levels, knows that it is important to invest in recreation to help keep us all healthy both mentally and physically. Good examples of this are $40,000. to pickleball courts in Little Harbour, $24,000 to the Pictou County Snow Riders Club in Brookville, and $24,000 to Great Canadian Recreation in Lorne to help some of our veterans as they deal with post traumatic stress disorder. These are all new initiatives that will greatly improve our county.”

The budget also included the approval of a new equalization funding formula for the county’s 17 local fire departments.   The equalization funding, collected through the general tax rate and adjusted fire area rates will bring five small, underfunded fire departments in the county to a minimum operating level of $90,000 annually.   The Municipality of Pictou County will also hire a coordinator to support the administrative work of the departments.

“Our county spends $2.1 million annually on fire protection and it is our duty to carefully audit the spending of all taxpayer dollars. Part of the role of a coordinator will be to work with all fire departments through bulk buying, sharing of assets and administrative assistance to better track spending,” said Warden Parker.

The Municipality of Pictou County’s budget can be viewed on its website at www.munpict.ca.   The special council meeting from Aug. 23 which addressed the 2021-22 budget approved can viewed on The Municipality of Pictou County’s You Tube channel.