The Town of LaSalle has unveiled a draft budget for 2026 that, if approved, would significantly increase the financial burden on local homeowners through a substantial rise in property taxes.
Proposed Tax Increase and Financial Impact
The municipal levy is projected to grow by more than $4.6 million compared to the 2025 budget. This would bring the total general levy for the town to $54.2 million in 2026. For the individual taxpayer, this translates to an average annual increase of 9.2 per cent.
Dale Langlois, the town's Director of Finance and Treasurer, acknowledged the difficulty of this proposal. "With the tariffs, the unknowns, and the economy kind of slowing down … we realize it's not a year we want to have significant increases," Langlois stated. He confirmed that staff have already made reductions, but significant financial challenges remain.
What This Means for Homeowners
For the owner of a single-family home with the average assessed value of $269,000 in LaSalle, the proposed tax hike would mean an additional $189 per year or approximately $15.75 per month.
It is important to note that this is a draft budget, and it is common for the final approved version to see reductions from the initial proposal. An earlier version of this budget was even higher, proposing a $5.5 million levy increase. Through an initial review, staff managed to cut over $1.27 million.
A 'Bare-Bones' Budget with Strategic Commitments
Despite the proposed tax increase, Langlois described the current draft as a "bare-bones budget." He emphasized to the Windsor Star that "There's no fat in the budget this year. We've trimmed it all." The town is still striving to meet the targets outlined in its various master plans, even with the constrained finances.
The budget maintains funding for several key long-term initiatives, including:
- The LaSalle Landing waterfront plan
- Asset management capital funding plan
- Labour master plan
- Updated fire, police, and parks master plans
Langlois explained that the town is still grappling with the lingering effects of high inflation from the past four years. While inflation rates are normalizing, the cost of construction projects remains "significantly higher," offsetting increased capital contributions. The initial cuts included a $550,000 reduction to asset management planning and a $250,000 reduction in inflationary contributions to capital.
