OPP costs wallop Minden Hills

[Michael Jack]

Minden Hills’s policing costs will jump by 27 per cent in 2016, a $391,000 increase representing a 6.24 per cent increase over the township’s 2015 tax levy.

The township’s policing bill will rise from $1.4 to $1.8 million in the second year of a five-year phase-in of the province’s new OPP billing model, which redistributed OPP costs on a per household basis through the province.

Seasonal residences count as households.

Last year, the township’s OPP bill rose from $1.2 to $1.4 million and 4.13 per cent of the 5.9 per cent tax increase was attributed directly to policing costs.

Because the funding formula was forced on municipalities by the province, the county’s lower-tier townships have been passing those increased police bills directly to taxpayers.

“We know we have a few more years of this,” said Reeve Brent Devolin, indicating that combined with other financial pressures, the township would be lucky to keep property tax increases in the single digits in coming years. “Be prepared, this is what’s coming to you.”

http://www.mindentimes.ca/opp-costs-wallop-minden-hills