Friday, May 06, 2016

City Council Adopts 0% Property Tax Increase


The City was able to avoid increasing property taxes in 2016 due to $1.2 million in new property tax revenue from construction growth and savings from management positions rationalization

Property Tax Notices
will be mailed after Victoria Day weekend

Nanaimo home owners are set to receive a break on property taxes following Council's unanimous motion to adopt a zero per cent property tax increase for 2016.  The decision follows several months of discussion, prioritizing and planning between individual Councillors and between Councillors and staff, as well as outreach to the public in the form of a survey and eTown Hall.  The result is the City's first zero per cent property tax increase in many years.

The total budget outlined in the City's 2016-2020 Financial Plan is $189 million, of which $128 million will go towards operations and $61 million will go towards capital projects.  Included in the budget is a commitment to continue to grow the City's reserve funds which, for 2016, will grow by $4.1 million.  The 2016 budget also includes funds to review public safety operations addressing service levels, staffing and facility requirements.


The 2016 budget includes a zero per cent property tax increase for municipal purposes, a water rate increase of 7.5 per cent, sewer rate increase of 5 per cent and garbage/recycling increase of 1 per cent. For an average residential home, the total increase will be approximately $38.

The 2016-2020 Financial Plan includes service level enhancements including two additional RCMP members, 911 public safety answering point contract changes, new water treatment plant operations, and additional staff in water operations and information technology.

A summary of the 2016-2020 Financial Plan is available on the City's website or can be accessed via the link supplied with the online version of this news release.

The 2016-2020 Financial Plan does not require a property tax increase in 2016 for the municipal portion of taxes. Looking ahead, an average property tax increase of 1.3 per cent for municipal purposes is projected for the 5 years covered by the plan.

"Council and staff have worked diligently for months to return a 2016 Financial Plan that reflects the will of council to be more accountable and efficient. This is an extremely positive step and I look forward to concluding the Core Services Review and getting to work on the 2017 Financial Plan."  - Councillor Bill Bestwick

allvoices

1 comment:

  1. 0 % Property Tax increase means that the amount of tax one needs to pay this year will be not increased over last year. I wonder if the City is digging itself a hole by continually (perhaps deliberate deception?) referring to a 0% tax RATE increase as if it were a 0% tax amount increase? I am truly tempted to refuse to pay ANY amount that is above the amount of last year's taxes and challenge it on the grounds that the City has promised and confirmed NO increase. BTW what is a COE service? Tsk. Tsk. And another question I have is why are these City announcements being made with comments from Councillors? Personally I am not interested in what an individual councillor has to say but I am interested in what the Mayor (who is supposed to be the Council spokesperson) has to say.
    Cliff Marcil

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