Property owners in the Musquodoboit Harbour area are still waiting to vote on whether to keep a local area rate tax that brings in $10,000 per year to spend on community recreation needs.
In an interview, HRM Councillor David Hendsbee said that he had been working with the HRM staff who are drafting the explanation and the language of the ballot measure, but could not predict when HRM staff would release a draft. Hendsbee earlier told the Musquodoboit Harbour & Area Chamber of Commerce & Civic Affairs that he would allow them to review to materials to make sure that voters were provided with an adequate explanation of the issues at stake.
In the meantime, a Cooperator investigation of the budgets of Halifax County before amalgamation has answered one of the questions about the history of this local area rate. Halifax County budgets show that this local area rate was always listed as being dedicated to recreational expenditures. This history supports continuing to use these funds for recreational purposes if voters approve keeping the rate in place.