Halifax city hall approves 2018-2019 budget

Halifax Regional Council has approved next year's budget after a final, three-hour debate.

The increase to the average tax bill will be $37.

Coun. Tim Outhit of Bedford tried to reduce the size of the average tax increase from 1.97 per cent to 1.6 per cent, but his motion was defeated 11-6.

The municipality is expecting a $15-million surplus from this year's budget.

Finance officials plan to put the surplus dollars into reserves.

Outhit and Coun. Shawn Cleary were the only two who voted against the 2018-2019 budget recommendation, which includes $760.6 million for operating and $128.5 million for capital projects.

Finance officials say the average assessment for a single family home is $234,500.