Knives out: Mayor strikes committee to slash future property tax increases

2024-2027 Draft Municipal Budget for the City of London (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

The mayor has launched a tax cutting task force at city hall to reign in future increases to the municipal budget.

On Monday, Mayor Josh Morgan announced a new council working group will review the necessity of current services and consider new or enhanced municipal revenue opportunities.

The Strategic Opportunities Review Working Group (SORWG) will also offer the municipality’s agencies, boards, and commissions opportunities to participate in shared services and the development of Service Review Programs.

“What I consistently heard from Londoners is [they] understand the difficult fiscal situation the city is in, but the level of taxation that is out there is difficult,” Morgan told CTV News.

The 2024-2027 Municipal Budget included a four-year average tax levy increase of 7.5 per cent ($277 more each year on the average home), including a tax hike of 8.7 per cent this year.

The mayor believes council must consider exiting some longstanding services if they don’t align with current or future needs in the community.

Morgan hopes some “low-hanging fruit” can be considered in time for the 2025 budget update.

The working group of seven councillors will be chaired by Budget Chair Elizabeth Peloza.

It will prepare an annual work plan that focuses exclusively on significant and material changes to city programs and services.

The review of city services will include opportunities for public input.

Budget-related recommendations will be considered by the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee and council, and forwarded to Morgan for consideration in annual budget updates.

“These will be tough decisions,” the mayor admitted. “There are many services that even if we should or shouldn’t be [providing] them, people value them.”