Tax Rate Approved

Monday, May 08, 2006 09:30 PM

City Council has approved the tax rate for 2006, and while the spending is up 3.39%, the actual increase to municipal tax bills can only be calculated once the increase in assessment has been taken into account.

Councillor Don Zurowski says under option "C" the average increase will be $48 per single family dwelling. He says there may actually be a net decrease for some homeowners, as there has been an increase in the home owners grant,

The City notes, assessments of all properties in Prince George are up by, on average, 13.76% with residential leading the way with an increase of 16.18%

Next in line is Major Industry which is up by (on average) 8.26%, then Business properties which increased by 7.19% and Light industry trails with an increase of 4.52%

According to City Hall, the rate chosen (option "C" of 5 different scenarios) will produce the following examples of tax increases for single family dwellings with varying assessments:

*Street*	*2005 tax*	*Option "C" taxes*	*% change*
Norwood	$582.61	$714.00	^22.6%
Heritage	$1800.00	$1894.09	^5.2%
Austin Rd.	$2299.35	$2414.04	^5.%
Vista Rdge	$2326.30	$2348.12	^0.9%

The growth in the residential assesments has been so high, the mill rate has been cut nearly in half. It had been more than 19, the new rate is 9.28476 per one thousand dollars of assessment. The lowest the mill rate has been since 2000.

According to Mayor Colin Kinsley the tax increase is the second lowest in the province.

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Posted on Monday, May 08, 2006 09:30 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on May 9 2006 12:53 AM

FEDERAL GOVERMENT GIVE BACK TAXS...THEN CITY TAKES MORE..THERE IS ONLY ONE TAX PAYER..DAMM GIVE US A BRAKE..WE THE TAX PAYER ARE JUST ABOUT BROKE DAMM YOU FOOLS

Posted by: acrider54 on May 9 2006 6:12 AM

I guess Kinsley & company need a little more money to travel the world.

Posted by: Palopu on May 9 2006 8:45 PM

These tax and spend politicians need to have a serious talking to; Who do they think they are increasing our taxes every year and giving us some gibberish about it being the second lowest increase in the Province. What does that mean??? Absolutley nothing. It is still an increase and it was not necessary. City Hall is so heavy with Managers, Department Heads, all the latest equipment, new vehicles, state of the art computers etc; Huge salaries and benefits, that they have lost touch with reality. If we were to look at what we were paying for taxes 10 years ago and what we are paying today then we would get a real sense of how much our taxes have increased. By sliding in tax increases every year along with a stupid reason for it, they try to lull us into thinking it is not a big deal, but in fact it is. We need a forensic audit of City Spending for the past 10 years with a veiw to see if in fact we are getting value for our money. My guess is we are not.

I want to take this moment to thank all those People who voted for Kinsley and his Co-horts. Have fun watching him spend your money on silly projects like;

(1) $500,000.00 replay board for the Multiplex
(2) 7 Million for a new superstructure over the Nechako, or a New Bridge (Neither is necessary)
(3) Co-Generation Plant to heat City and other buildings with Hot Water. Cost somewhere in the area of 9 Million Dollars.
(4) 5 Million for the Sports Plex on the Hill which I guarantee you will be hopelessly under utilized.
(5) 12 Million for a new Police Station. (The present one is only 33 years old and could survive quite well with a little serious maintenance.

(6) 5 million for an ice oval. Hopefully this ludicrous idea has died on the drawing board.

God knows what else they have up there sleeve, however you can bet what ever it is, it will cost you more money.

Between taxes and transfer payments this City spends approx $140,000,000.00 a year and also goes into debt.(Debt is approx 92 Million)

I defy anyone to find another City in Canada with a similiar population that is further in debt than this City, you will not even come close. To top it off we have the worst roads of any City in BC, and we we should be ashamed of ourselves.

Its time the Mayor and City Councillars became more responsible, and look at ways to decrease spending. This business of increased spending every year has to stop.

Posted by: kimbo on May 10 2006 9:35 AM

"This business of increased spending every year has to stop". Palopu you have said it all. How do we stop the spending? I have gone to the media with the idea of a tax payers association to try and keep this Laurel and Hardy show on track . I didnt get one phone call from anyone that might be interested. I am retired and have time for such an organization but no one is interested exept those with a vested right in how our council should operate.
564-7086 is the niumber to call.