Tax Hike Unclear Following First Budget Meeting

By 250 News

2011 Tax levy summary                courtesy City of PG

Prince George, B.C. - Based on a directive they issued in November, Prince George City Councillors have been presented with an operating budget for 2011 that will require a 2.5-percent increase in the general tax levy to maintain services at last year's levels. 

However, the total hike being looked at this very early stage of budget deliberations - when the proposed 2011 snow control and road rehabilitation levies are calculated in - is a hair less, at 2.4-percent. 

Still to come, though, at Council's February 28th capital budget meeting is the consideration of a 2-percent special levy to help fund the City's capital commitment to the 2015 Canada Winter Games.  The city will invest $11-million dollars in upgrades to civic facilities in the run up to the games.  If approved, the levy would generate $1.3-million dollars this year. 

It is unclear at this point, the impact the special levy would have on the total tax hike.  The City's Director of Corporate Services, Kathleen Soltis, says it isn't simply tacked on to the 2.4-percent already on the table for a total hike of 4.4-percent.  She says there are a number of factors that go into the calculation.  Neither she nor the City's Manager of Financial Services, Sandy Stribany, could estimate what the impact might be this evening, but the information will be included as a line item in the above pictured tax levy summary chart for the next budget meeting, February 16th.

Included in the information presented to Councillors this evening was the chart belowing, show a bar graph of the tax levy increases over the past decade...

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