Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Champlain's budget, taxes and council decisions. A township in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, with a mayor and eight councillors elected from four wards. Every figure links back to the public record.
Follow Champlain in one tapWhere it goes
Questions worth asking
Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.
$4.8Min savings at the end of 2025
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Champlain had $4.8M saved at the end of 2025, up from $4.0M in 2019. That is 34% of one year's spending. None of the 46 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 4 sources
$7,160,783spent on contracted services in 2023, against a budget of $5,103,470
"Contracted services" is money paid to outside companies to do work for the Township, such as running water systems or collecting garbage. In 2023 the budget was $5,103,470 and the audited statements show $7,160,783. In 2024 the budget was $5,246,290 and the statements show $6,467,025. In 2025 the budget was $5,115,407 and the statements show $5,514,915. The gap was about $2.06 million in 2023, $1.22 million in 2024 and $0.40 million in 2025 (worked out by us). It is shrinking, but it has been over every year. We did not find the Township's own explanation, because its budget reports are behind a browser check we do not get around.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$1,528,653spent on planning and zoning in 2023, against a budget of $280,281
Planning and zoning covers land-use decisions such as rezoning requests. In 2023 the budget was $280,281 and the audited statements show $1,528,653. In 2024 the budget was $338,573 and the statements show $1,021,452. In 2025 the budget was $263,731 and the statements show $402,904. That is about 5.5 times the budget in 2023 and 3 times in 2024 (worked out by us), then a much smaller gap in 2025. The statements do not say what the extra money paid for.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$1,834,524landfill closure liability at the end of 2025, up from $652,811
The Township opened a landfill in September 2006 and must, by law, close it and look after it for years afterwards. The statements carry that future cost as a liability (money owed later). It stood at $652,811 at the end of 2024 and $1,834,524 at the end of 2025. Almost all of the rise, $1,152,860, is labelled "Remeasurement", meaning the Township re-estimated the cost. The statements also show $1,586,676 of it as "unfinanced", meaning no money has been set aside or raised for it yet (it was $433,816 a year earlier).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$289,527moved into reserves in 2025, against a budget of $967,706
Reserves are savings set aside for later needs, such as trucks or repairs. The 2025 budget planned net transfers to reserves of $967,706 and an end-of-year balance of $5,482,046. The audited result was $289,527 and $4,807,729. The fire department reserve fell from $253,287 to $41,005 over the same year. In 2025 the Township spent $1,441,787 on vehicles, which may be part of the reason.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$1,892,195negative "unfinanced operation" balance at the end of 2025, up from $734,366 at the end of 2022
In its list of what makes up the Township's accumulated surplus (its net worth on paper), one line is a negative number called "Unfinanced operation". It was $734,366 negative at the end of 2022, $1,352,042 at the end of 2023, $1,745,550 at the end of 2024 and $1,892,195 at the end of 2025. We found no note in the statements that says what it contains.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$2,987per home on long-term debt, 2025
Champlain spent about $2,987 per home on long-term debt in 2025. The typical similar town spent $1,066. Only 5 of 46 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 5 sources
$2,856,150surplus in the 2025 budget, against $870,443 in the audited result
A surplus is what is left when a year's revenue is more than its spending. The 2025 budget in the statements planned a surplus of $2,856,150. The audited result was $870,443. Most of the gap is explained by one line: the budget column shows no amount for amortization (the yearly wearing out of buildings, roads and vehicles), while the actual column shows $1,995,502. Without amortization, actual spending was about $14.21 million against a budget of $14,307,326 (worked out by us), so day-to-day spending came in a little under budget. Total revenue was $17,080,814 against a budget of $17,163,476. Note 14 says budget figures are presented "on a basis consistent with the presentation of actual figures", yet the amortization line is blank in the budget column.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$3,859,135from the province in 2023, down to $1,828,123 in 2025
Transfers are money other governments pay the Township. The province paid $3,859,135 in 2023, $2,549,327 in 2024 and $1,828,123 in 2025. "Other municipalities" paid $1,702,874 in 2023, $603,156 in 2024 and $445,928 in 2025. Together that is about $5.56 million in 2023 and about $2.27 million in 2025 (worked out by us). Total revenue fell from $20,828,711 to $17,080,814 over the same two years. The 2023 statements also show a "Social and family services" expense of $1,705,309, close to the 2023 payment from other municipalities. That line is not in the 2024 or 2025 statements.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
A property tax bill in Champlain pays for three governments. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Champlain council controls.
Local businesses can sponsor this page · How it works →
Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.
We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.
Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.
Council meetings are open to the public, and councillors answer to you. How to reach Champlain's council · Council Books is free and paid for by readers: support this work.