1% road levy pitched to raise $60M to fix Windsor roads

A dedicated road levy is being pitched by a veteran Windsor city councillor.

Hilary Payne wants the one-per-cent levy tacked onto any property tax increase that may be forthcoming in 2016.

Payne said the levy would then increase to two per cent in the second year, three in the third and four in the fourth.

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"My proposal is that come 2016, we would have a one-per-cent levy for capital works, in particular roads. The one per cent would go toward the resurfacing and reconstruction of roads. It cannot be used for any other purpose," Payne said. "It has a beginning and an ending, and if it ran for four years, hopefully the road deficit would be taken care of and the levy would stop."

He claims the increase would raise $60 million.

"That would repave 600 blocks in the city of Windsor or reconstruct 120 blocks. It would make huge inroads into the road deficit," Payne said.

Payne estimates the annual levy would increase a $4,000 tax bill by approximately $27 per year in at least four consecutive years 2016 through 2019.

The Ward 9 councillor claims people "wouldnt mind paying a bit extra" because people "really want their roads fixed."

City of Windsor engineer Mario Senego said the infrastructure deficit is something other levels of government need to also look at.

"This is a need that the federal government, the provincial government should be addressing cause it's a need that cities alone just can't handle," said Senego.

Payne's proposal will be debated at a strategic planning sessions later this month and in March.