Despite runaway inflation, the citizens of Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures will benefit from a freeze in taxes and tariffs for the second year in a row in 2024. It is essentially the strict control of municipal debt that allows the city to offer this freeze to its taxpayers, welcomed Mayor Sylvain Juneau.
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For an average home costing $374,000, the tax burden remains capped at $4,108 through 2028, as it did last year and as planned.
“We were in a bad situation 10 years ago. I am satisfied and proud of the work done. “If we know where we start, it’s really very satisfying,” said the mayor of Saint-Augustin, Sylvain Juneau, on Tuesday evening when presenting his municipality’s 2024 budget.
The 2024 budget, which totals $72 million, must be voted on by the council's seven elected officials in a public meeting Tuesday evening. The mayor, who expects a unanimous vote from the city council, considers this a formality.
The only increase envisaged in this budget concerns certain rates applied to the transfer tax (welcome tax) caps. For properties valued between $1 million and $2 million, the rate increases from 2% to 2.5%. Prizes valued at more than $2 million will increase by 2% to 3%.
Brilliant financial health
How can we explain this stunning and explosive financial situation? Mayor Juneau would like to start by saying that inflation is hitting his city just as hard as other neighboring communities. In particular, this leads to services that make the municipality more expensive.
On the other hand, three main elements have contributed to this good financial health. The first is to quickly bring the debt under control by imposing a specific tax on the debt between 2018 and 2021, he analyzes. In addition, the city plans to pay off all debts and pay for all of its fixed assets in cash by 2026.
The dispute over agglomeration fees also allowed Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures to recover about $60 million, even as it continues to drag on in court. This is the total number of admissions made by the city of Quebec during the long trial.
Additionally, industrial property sales have brought in nearly $40 million in recent years. There is practically no industrial space available in Saint-Augustin.
“At my arrival [en 2015], the Augustinois were the highest taxed in the region. After quick calculations and taking into account the tax rates, next year we will no longer have the highest taxes in the region,” said the mayor happily.
Collective agreements and political future
The city of Saint-Augustin has also formalized the renewal of collective agreements with its 220 employees. Over a period of five years (2023-2027), they will benefit from salary increases totaling 17.35%.
When asked about his political future, Mayor Juneau admitted that he still plans to run again in 2025. He has been at the head of the city since June 2015. He still does not want to found a political party and still presents himself as independent.
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