Calgary City Council is still reviewing the budget for the next four years and says that a tax hike that could cost residents hundreds of dollars more per year could be unavoidable.
Council began reviewing the 900 page, $22B budget on Monday. The document outlines a number of improvements including four car CTrain service, new recreation centres, the new Central Library, and several remaining flood recovery projects.
To help cover the costs, council included a 4.7 percent property tax hike, compounded over the next four years.
Councillors say that the hike is bitter pill to swallow and they’d like to see it lower but fear they might not have many options.
“This is a no growth budget,” said Evan Woolley, Ward 8 councillor. “In fact, this is a cut budget to a lot of services and programs.”
Mayor Nenshi says he’s posed the challenge of reducing the tax hike to all of his councillors. “I have asked all my colleagues on council to provide me with ideas for savings, efficiencies and investments. So far, they haven’t really had any.”
Utility costs will also go up for homeowners, with those costs jumping about $200 per year.
Transit costs are also expected to increase, but the service won’t. Council says there just isn’t any money to add more routes.
By 2018, the average property tax bill is expected to be just over $1,900.
