Similar to other municipalities, residents in Chester will be paying more in property taxes. Council approved a residential tax increase of 2 cents over last year to balance the 19.5 million dollar operating budget. The residential rate is set at 63 cents per 100 of assessment, while the commercial tax rate is $1.53 per 100 of assessment. Warden Allen Webber says the decision to raise taxes was not taken lightly, but is necessary due to the challenge of meeting rising costs. Some of the new initiatives supported by this budget include the hiring of an additional RCMP Officer, hiring a Planner to move forward with the implementation of the Integrated Community Sustainability Plan, and bringing a By-Law Enforcement Officer on board to address public concerns.
