The Town of Niverville gave first and second reading to their 2018 budget Tuesday evening which includes a $35 a year increase in municipal taxes for the average homeowner.

The town held an open house at the Niverville Heritage Centre to present the budget to residents right before their town council meeting. Mayor Myron Dyck says much like the last few years, municipal taxes will go up 2% in the 2018 budget to cover inflation and a few much-needed projects while remaining manageable for residents.

"There were times when we have looked at what other municipalities have done such as freezing tax rates and then all of a sudden you have this sticker shock, zero zero zero and then all of a sudden we need 9% here and we need 12% there. What we have tried to do is slow and steady again."

Dyck says this will result in approximately a $35 increase for the average home. With reassessment taking place this past year, the average home actually dropped a little from $291,400 to $288,300. Dyck says at this point this does not worry council.

"As a personal homeowner, you want to keep seeing value added in your home. A lot of people have purchased their homes for a savings account which is their mortgage and they want to see the equity in their home appreciate. At the same time, what happened to Niverville from 2002 to 2012 where assessment doubled, well now your taxes go up but does your income go up? So that can become a problem."

Dyck says Niverville council always wants to see steady growth and this reassessment was a small correction in valuation.