Mount Pearl councillor Chelsea Lane brought forth the City’s 2025 budget last week, balanced at $58 million. Residents will see no increases to either residential or commercial mil rates.
By Mark Squibb
Mount Pearl City council has approved a balanced budget of $58,858,583 that will see no increases to the residential or commercial mil rate, which stay at 7.7 and 12.4 mils respectively.
Water fees and waste disposal fees will also be held steady.
“As financial stewards, we must balance today’s needs with tomorrow’s aspirations,” said councillor Chelsea Lane, who brought forward the budget. “Rising costs, aging infrastructure, and growing demands for services present challenges —but they also offer opportunities. Opportunities to invest wisely, innovate boldly, and build a Mount Pearl that thrives.”
The budget greenlights a number of big-ticket infrastructure projects for 2025. Some $700,000 has been allocated to replace the Glencoe Drive culvert, $185,000 to modernize plant operations at the Glacier arena, and $100,000 to upgrade the lighting system at the Summit Centre. Additionally, the City has budgeted $2 million for fleet renewal, including the purchase of another ice resurfacer for the Glacier, two new garbage trucks, and a rear loader. The City is also increasing the road maintenance budget by 20 percent, committing $1.075 million to essential tasks such as crack sealing, asphalt repair, and line painting, and has committed to the purchase of a new bus.
The City has earmarked $187,000 for community groups such as the Seniors Independence Group and Association for the Arts, $120,000 to construct an accessible boardroom at City Hall, and $140,000 to upgrade flooring and add new equipment racks at the Glacier area.
Those who enjoy hiking the T’railway will be happy to hear $250,000 has been earmarked to light the City’s portion of the trail. Council has also committed $250,000 to improving the T’railway crossing at Commonwealth Avenue. That item in particular elicited a cheer from councillor Bill Antle, who has long campaigned for a light activated crosswalk at that particular section of trail.
The City has also budgeted $200,000 to it’s Urban Forestry Plan in a bid to preserve some of the City’s natural green spaces.
Heading into 2025, businesses can still avail of incentive programs such as the scaled taxation program, which will be expanded to attract businesses in the energy and technology sectors, façade improvement program, and energy efficiency grant program.
Following a number of random assaults committed by youths in recent weeks, Lane pointed out the City has budgeted $735,000 for municipal enforcement, some $29,508 of which has been earmarked for traffic calming devices, compared to last year’s budget of $695,646.
The City has also committed to the continuing development of the land north of Topsail Road, which will include the construction of a new water tower to support residential and commercial growth.
The City anticipates taking in $18.8 million in residential property taxes, roughly 32 percent of the City’s projected income. Business and utility taxes will account for 22 precent of the City’s budgeted income, and commercial property taxes will account for about 16 percent.
Transportation and Technical services, which include snow and ice control, fleet management, roads, traffic lights, and public transit, accounts for the City’s single largest expenditure, budgeted at $12.9 million. Some $1.2 million of that is earmarked for administration.
General government, which includes salaries and operations at City Hall, accounts for about 18 percent of the City’s total expenditures, or about $10.7 million.
