At a special Council meeting on December 6, the County Budget for 2024 to 2026 (and longer) will be presented. Unlike Cobourg’s budget, there is a much greater emphasis on the big picture and less detail – e.g. no department line by line discussion. The County seems to leave these details to staff and simply focus on increases in the overall levy and debt. They also look much further into the future – there is budget information up to 2026 and even a 10 year forecast. But they do provide most information that residents are likely to want – like what do they do, where does their money come from, what are the significant changes this year and what will be the tax impact.
What does the County Do?
The County has the following major departments:
| Department | 2024 Budget | Notes |
| Transportation (Roads Bridges) | $34.5M | 47% is construction |
| Waste Services | $16M | 45% is collection – no longer includes Recycling thereby saving $1.5M |
| Economic Development, Land Use Planning & Tourism | $5M | Tourism is only 10% of this |
| Northumberland Paramedics | $22.3M | Paramedic Operations is 63% |
| Golden Plough Lodge | $24M | (excludes redevelopment) 63% is nursing |
| Community, Social Services & Northumberland County Housing Corporation | $63M | 57% for Subsidized Housing |
Note: Recycling has now been off-loaded to Circular Materials Ontario since “the producers of packaging, paper and packaging-like products” are now responsible for recycling these materials. The proceeds from the sale of the MRF will be set aside in reserve to offset MRF severance costs and for future capital requirements.
Where does the money get spent?
Note that revenue to pay for the department budgets is only partly from the tax levy – other sources are Provincial and Federal Grants and some miscellaneous – see chart below
Cobourg taxpayers pay about 24% of the $74M tax levy amount. The rest comes from the other towns in the County.
One key difference compared to Cobourg is that Instead of discussing the levy as a single amount, the County has divided it into several separate amounts. They then talk about the increase for each of these sub-items.
| Description | Levy Increase/addition | |
|
Base levy |
4.00% | |
| Deliberation items (not yet approved) Commuter Connect Program (Bus to Durham) Kingston University Hospital Foundation Request |
0.22% $150,000 0.07% $46,000 |
|
|
Proposed Dedicated Housing Levy (NEW) |
1.00% $668,904 | |
|
Dedicated Infrastructure Levy (introduced in 2016) |
1.07% | |
|
Total |
6.36% | |
|
Growth |
2.00% | |
|
Total levy revenue increase |
8.36% | |
This shows that the increase in the tax levy to be paid by taxpayers to the County (subject to approval) will be 6.36%. This compares to the 5% by Cobourg with a growth estimate of 1% (2% growth would make it a 4% increase).
Notable is the new 1% tax for housing which would raise $669K – this item is included because Council has said that housing and homelessness are top priorities.
Note that the budgets for 2025 and 2026 would have even higher increases: 7.91% and 7.79%.
Staff are also blaming the large increases on a continuing 4% inflation, at least partially.
If you want to look at more detail, download the full 51 page report available in Resources.
Footnote
The report is signed by “Matthew Nitsch, Director of Finance/Treasurer”. There has been no announcement but last I heard, Glenn Dees had that role and Matthew was his deputy but now, Matthew is the Treasurer. [update] I understand that Glenn has a new role in the County. Another note, unlike Cobourg, on their web site, the County does not name any staff – not even CAO Jennifer Moore. [update] Their contacts are the position instead of the person so frequent changes are avoided.
Resources
- 2024 – 2026 Draft Budget and Long-Term Plan – Report to Council on 6 December 2023
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Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the County of Northumberland could spend within its means. To blame increasing interest rates is nonsensical, interest rates have been too low for too long. Of course rates were going to increase, as the county has a finance department, they should have included this calculation in any debt accrued. While spending on infrastructure such as roads and bridges is vital, spending $120 million to house 180 seniors is not economically viable. Neither is nearly $7 million on a museum/archives. Neither is $18 million on 40 units at Elgin Park to house about 90 persons. Tax dollars have to spent more economically. Seniors and social housing is needed but not at that cost. The county calculates growth at 2%, while the town and their hired consultants calculate 1%. Let’s have spending and hiring kept within the same amount. I count at least 15 new staff needed for 2024. Seems high to me. Total county debt of $185.8 million pg 46 of the report. Principal amount of debenture with IO of $97 million for 25 years for GPL/NCAM pg 12 of the report. These numbers are staggering for the 90000 residents of Northumberland County.
Yes, Cobourg Taxpayer this is happening everywhere. However in a prior Blog I suggested a reduction to the remumeration package paid to government workers everywhere. Too much out of the pie and not enough spent on what tax dollars were intended for. I know a guy retiring early next year from a government job. Mid 50s, grade 12 – how he got promoted to the position is another story but seniiority being a very strong factor in determination of promotion is one. $120,000 retirement package thanks to being able to carry forward endlessly prior vacation allotments – 6 weeks is what is paid, plus the sick bank was frozen now pays to a max of 6 months pay out and they were put onto another sick bank policy which allowed 26 weeks renewable should one return for 2 weeks at the beginning of the next fiscal year, lieu time pay out. Past benefits of 100% paid dental which included caps, root canals and denture coverage. 100% paid medical.
That is part of the problem but there are many factors that have come into being as to why the tax payer feels he is being shaken by the ankles. I haven’t got into the other reasons there are several mainly due to population growth, funding living expenses until eligable to work and so forth. I received many down votes for my observations and defense of current practice so if that is a example of public opinion I don’t expect things to change, just get worse.
Add in – “6 weeks is the yearly vacation allotment, not just the pay out as endless carry forward is now allowed – used to be 2 weeks only for prior year’s service.
While I agree with what you are saying, I must commend your friend with the grade 12 education, seems he had the foresight to look into the future and took that government job way back when.
Sometimes the least educated have a masters degree from the school of life.
Agree with Leweez. Great to hear about this chap. Many more like him who went into the trades 30 years ago didn’t need an MBA and have done well. Maybe we need to de emphasize needing a degree and learn on the job.
No Trade – skills lacking but the old story – “you’re absolutely correct sir!” Little to admire.
I’m thinking he was looking to provide for his family as best he could and not your admiration
You know Leweez stop and think of all the people by-passed to get promoted who had the job skills yet they select the one that earns their admiration using swarmy compliments. Think of the tax payers money wasted with the bad decisions he was making in work adminstration. I read a review from Indeed which described how he was thought of in general by the others below him in the organization – anything but flattering and true. You want to support your family learn learn some job skills and at that level he should have know how to spell at least.
Sounds like it is the HR dept. that is to blame.
also no one ever loves their boss, and lastly in todays world, it seems correct spelling is a thing of the past🤷♂️
It was an often applied standard in many government organizations Leweez. I didn’t go into the other skills he lacked to work in that position. Previously I have seen it in other government organizations. To promote the best candidate, should be the norm not promote the person (lap dog) of your choice without the skills to do the job. We are talking the saving of tax dollars here Leweez, instead we have admiistration through entitled fools does not add up to savings.
Very well said. I cannot agree more.
Why so negative …. The housing on Elgin/Darcy costs about $450k per unit to build …. Certainly a lot cheaper than anything built in the County and could be an affordable option for our government to look into and besides has more than doubled the units per foot print. Don’t know where you got the cost of the new retirement building but at $600k per unit it is not a bad investment for public available housing for long term retirement and will cost a lot less than some of the privately owned swanky places in town charging thousands per month ….. with the growing older population we will need more like this. The only question that I would ask is why EMS is using 63% of the costs when they have received recent provincial funding. Numbers look big when you don’t get the facts clearly.
Cobourg Taxpayer–I agree with your observations and will add some historical perspective.
30 years ago the Province projected the population of Cobourg to be 34,000 in 2023. At the time, the Top 10 local employers were all private industry. The dramatic growth projections gave our misguided local elected officials license to grow their empires accordingly: Police Services for example, rarely see a year where spending doesn’t increase by 5%+. Similarly, our local taxes increase apace. Even what we adjust for inflation and interest rate fluctuations, what we spent $1mm on in 1993 is now ballooned to over $5mm….
Today, our actual population is 20,807 or just 61% of the expert estimates. 8 of our Top 10 local employers are now government & government agencies that grow when our population of taxpayers doesn’t–.
Ironically, the Province just came out with ‘NEW’ population projections for Cobourg and that number again is—shamelessly—34,000 by 2046. Really? Again?
The Mayor will need to increase his payroll!
The Police will need 6 more Constables!!
Folks–don’t let the development of a couple local subdivisions for seniors fool you. We need 14,000 new taxpayers to support the spending that has already taken place. We have a jobless, aged economy unless you work for a level of government and the same rate payers who were paying $1,500 in taxes in 1993 are now being asked to pay $8,000..
After all–just like the last 30 years– taxes go up 5%++ every year but our private sector jobs and population never do.
Sadly far too many ever increasing numbers of our younger generation do not have the same interest nor concern.
Like I said…Switch to OPP and a Volunteer Fire Dept and Forget about the New Jetty.