The clock is ticking on a local municipality as they try and whittle down a whopping 27 per cent proposed tax hike.

Howick Township, in the northern part of Huron County, has until the end of March to try to find nearly half-a-million dollars in savings.

Now, shocked residents are joining forces to try and save the township and themselves some money.

Like most Howick homeowners, Kevin Anderson was shocked to hear that their municipality is proposing such a big tax increase.

"I'm very concerned. There's three, four villages in the township and I think it's going to be very, very hard on them."

Howick has about 3,700 people living in four hamlets and on a lot of farms, many of them Mennonite. Following an 11 per cent hike last year, Howick is running into a perfect storm of problems this year.

They're short $459,576, with almost half of that - $225,719 - from provincial funding cuts and rising OPP costs.

Another $112,000 is to cover last year's budget shortfall and the final $121,844 is to cover yearly wage and departmental increases.

If it stays at 27 per cent, area homeowners will see an extra $230 on their tax bill.

Reeve Art Versteeg doesn't like the idea of dipping into reserves to help lower that amount.

"We've kind of run down our reserves as far as we're comfortable doing. We still have adequate reserves to operate, but we don't want to go any lower."

The Concerned Ratepayers of Howick have set out their ideal tax hike - five per cent - in a petition.

But, "That much we'd have to eliminate the fire department and shut down the arena sort of thing. It's major cuts in what we do," Versteeg says.

The issue has some wondering about pooling resources with nearby municipalities, bringing up a dreaded word - amalgamation.

But Versteeg says while partners would change the situation, many neighbouring municipalities are in the same boat.

He hopes the township can hit 20 per cent, but warns double digit increases are in store for the next three years as well.

A public meeting is being held March 4 and a final budget should be completed by March 31.