The Sound wall will cost 50$ per home per year
The city has the money to pay for it’s share of the noise barrier without adding to our taxes
Residents are afraid of tax increases.
It is true that local taxes increased by 2% in 2020, for the first time in years. But I still do not see the justification for this increase, because the facts are clear:
FACT: The city benefited from $ 1.5 to $ 2 million PER YEAR in additional “welcome tax” (not planned) from 2014 to 2019 (6 years).
FACT: Most of this additional money is now being accumulated in the city’s reserves (see section 23-1 of the city’s financial statements from 2014 to 2019).
FACT: In the past 11 years, taxes on average value homes in Beaconsfield have increased by 44.1% by Agglo and decreased by 5.8% by the city.
In other words,
- The city has the money to pay for its share of the noise barrier south of the highway without adding local taxes,
- When the mayor says “we are going to raise taxes to pay for the wall” he greatly overestimates reality.
- Raises will come from the Agglo.
$ 50 per year per home for 25 years
In 2010 the MTQ estimated the construction of an acoustic barrier at $ 20 million. In 2015, Minister Poeti of the MTQ used the same estimate when he made his offer to finance 75% of the cost of the project. In 2020, the MTQ feasibility study will probably conclude at a higher cost.
Whether the total cost is $ 20 million or even $ 30 million (50% more than the 2010 estimate), the city of Beaconsfield’s share therefore represents $ 5 million to $ 7.5 million.
At first glance it seems enormous. And yet it is not so.
According to the 2016 census there were 6,660 housing units in Beaconsfield.
If you distribute $ 7.5 million equally over the 6,660 residences in Beaconsfield, the cost is $ 50 per year per residence for 25 years, plus interest. In these post-COVID times, interest rates are almost zero!
$ 50 per year per residence for 25 years
Protecting the health of 4,320 people, including 2,350 children therefore costs $ 50 per year in capital per residence for 25 years, plus interest.
This is equivalent to one coffee per two weeks to restore the quality of life for almost a quarter of the population of Beaconsfield, right?
Yet some suggest that paying for this acoustic screen will raise taxes so much!