Prescott Mayor Gauri Shankar said the town’s budget should be finalized at their March 17 town council meeting at the Prescott Municipal Building.
Council continued to work on the budget at a meeting earlier this week.
“At this point we are looking at around 3.5 per cent,” Shankar told MyPrescottNow.
Shankar noted that increase year-over-year is lower than 2024 and a workable figure for many, given the eye-opening budget increases passed by many municipal councils in the last few years.
“I am pretty pleased with that. And i have to give kudos to our treasury department for…witling it down to that number.”
The mayor said the budget has been put together with available information regarding U.S. tariffs. Twenty-five per cent tariffs started at midnight on Tuesday, however, representatives from Canada and the U.S. are scheduled to meet today (Wednesday).
Media reports indicate there could be a compromise in the works.
In terms of reaction, Shankar said at the municipal level they have long encouraged buying local. He has talked to residents about their concerns and feels provincial and national officials are doing a good job addressing tariffs with our neighbours to the south.
Shankar is also part of a mayor border alliance group, and as a border community, there are a few more things to keep in mind.
“(We will) still be welcoming to our visitors. Tourism is a big part of our industry, a big part of our makeup along the St. Lawrence River.
“Let’s just hope that cooler heads will prevail.”
The mayor said finding common ground and moving forward is the solution.
Mayors in the US, meanwhile, are worried about the local falllout from President Trump’s tariffs on Canadian exports.
Rochester Hills, Michigan, Mayor Bryan Barnett will be in Canada’s auto capital Wednesday to talk about ways to mitigate the effects.
Barnett says the uncertainty is already affecting the markets and warns that cities across the US will face higher costs for infrastructure, and to build much needed housing.
The US Conference of Mayors passed an emergency resolution urging the Trump administration to protect and promote trade relations with Canada and Mexico.
