LaSalle Town Council received a brief but grim preview of its 2025 budget on Tuesday evening.
In a presentation to council, Dale Langlois, the town’s director of finance, said a “challenging” year has left LaSalle in a tough position.
According to a staff report, the proposed 2025 budget pitches a more than $4.6-million increase in the municipal tax levy.
Based on the average residential property in LaSalle, Langlois said this translates to an annual increase of $209.
“Our budget is barebones,” Langlois said. “Moving forward during the deliberation sessions, if council wishes to reduce the operating budget, there’s going to be some tough choices to make. There’s going to be some consequences.”
In an attempt to ease the burden, Langlois told council that staff have already reduced the budget by $900,000.
While in previous years the town could benefit from added interest revenue, the Bank of Canada has cut rates …