The City of Longueuil released its 2021 budget on Monday and there’s good news for taxpayers.
Longueuil Mayor Sylvie Parent said in a news release that it’s proposing a tax freeze in a bid to offer taxpayers a bit of a respite amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Parent said the tax freeze is possible in part thanks to $19.3 million in financial assistance granted by the provincial government to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on city finances.
Parent also said other contributing factors were an an increase of $1.4 million in real estate revenue, as well as savings of $3.9 million generated through improved operations and reduced financing costs.
The mayor touted the 2021 budget as being “responsible and balanced” and said it takes into account the current context of the pandemic and future challenges that could arise as a result of the ongoing health crisis.
“We have in fact planned additional sums to cover expenses associated with the pandemic while staying he course and maintaining a focus on prioritizing projects for citizens,” she said
The $461.1 million budget is being submitted for adoption to city council at a special council meeting Tuesday night.