The recommended tax increase is 5.6 per cent, less than last year’s 6.6 per cent hike but not low enough for Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz.

“I’m not too happy about 5.6 (per cent) either,” Krantz said, noting it’s much higher than the rate of inflation. “I can’t support that recommendation.”

Whether the mayor’s disapproval will be enough to sway Milton council to make some cuts to the proposed budget is another matter. The mayor, along with three councillors, voted against the Town’s budget last year, but lost.

The Town also approved tax hikes of three and 2.5 per cent in the 2006 and 2007 budgets respectively.

“There’s no doubt that growth is catching up to us,” said Ward 1 Councillor Richard Day. “Bigger is always more expensive.”

Day, who also voted against the tax hike last year, said that although 5.6 per cent seems high, he will first hear the pros and cons of the various budget line items before he decides what can and can’t be cut.

“I don’t want to vote against a 5.6 (per cent increase), in favour of a three (per cent hike) and have an eight percent (rise) next year,” he said.

Though the recommendation is a 5.6 per cent hike, Milton staff has provided a list of possible cuts that could be made if council wanted to get down to a 2.2 per cent increase. The cuts total close to $800,000, almost half of which could be covered if council decides to postpone the opening of the Milton Public Library’s Beaty branch at Fourth Line and Hearst Boulevard until 2010.

Day said that type of cut doesn’t solve anything.

“If we have to take our medicine, it’s better to take it right away,” he said.

As the Town’s portion of the average property tax bill is only about 25 per cent, the 5.6 per cent tax hike would translate to an extra $35 to $45 for a property of $300,000.

However, Halton Region is also looking at a possible tax hike of 2.6 to 3.7 per cent on its portion of the property tax bill, which is about 45 per cent. That also translates to about $35 to $45 extra.

Education taxes make up the remaining portion of the property tax bill.

The Town plans to post the proposed budget on its website ( www.milton.ca ) this week as well as leave copies at the library for the public to review.

The public is invited to present comments on the proposed budget at the December 8 council meeting. It starts at 7:30 p. m.

Those wishing to speak must register by 10 a. m. that day with the clerk’s office.

Tim Foran can be reached at tforan@miltoncanadianchampion.com .