LaSalle Council Approves 2025 General Levy, Tax Increase of $232.76 Annually for Average Home

By: Saeed Akhtar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

The LaSalle Council approved the 2025 Municipal General Levy at $50 million, resulting in an annual tax increase of $178.89 for the average single-family home. When factoring in the municipal, County of Essex, and education tax rates, the yearly increase will amount to $232.76, or $19.40 monthly.

“It is never easy to prioritize one need over another. I think that we have moved forward with a fiscally responsible budget that provides our residents with the services that they expect. Some difficult decisions have been made throughout this process,” said Mayor Crystal Meloche.

“I want to thank Council, administration, and the residents who took the time to provide valuable feedback. Let’s keep the lines of communication open and continue to talk about our shared vision for LaSalle.”

The administration initially recommended a draft budget with a $209 annual increase (a 7% tax rate increase), but the Council reduced the levy by making several adjustments. These included cuts of $85,000 related to insurance, $50,000 for 2025 staffing changes, $30,000 for strategic plan initiatives, $200,000 for the Asset Management Plan, $50,000 for the Fire Master Plan, and $50,000 for Information Technology.

“These reductions do mean that there will be less funding available for future projects as part of the Town’s asset management, strategic initiatives, Fire Master Plan, and information technology,” said Dale Langlois, Director of Finance/Treasurer.

“Administration does understand the need to balance our operations with the needs of the community. Any further cuts would affect our service levels.”

The approved budget includes $1 million for policing costs, $1.3 million for recommended enhancements such as funding for master plans and contributions to capital reserves, and $1.8 million for inflationary changes like wages, benefits, insurance, and garbage collection.

The Council also approved a $3 million placeholder for the construction of pickleball courts, authorizing the administration to spend up to 10% of the budget on detailed design. Once complete, the design, projected costs, and funding sources will be presented for further consideration.

The average single-family home in LaSalle, with a market value of $710,000 and an assessed value of $270,000 as determined by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), will see these tax increases based on the 2016 property assessments. The province has postponed MPAC updates for several years, meaning property values used for taxes in 2025 remain unchanged from 2020-2024.

Property taxes will increase by $178.89 annually (a 5.98 percent rise) due to the municipal levy for the average single-family home in LaSalle. The County of Essex portion will add $53.87 annually (a 3.76 percent increase) while the education rate remains unchanged. This brings the annual tax increase to $232.76, or 4.81 percent.