City Council has decided to keep next year’s tax hike at 5.5 per cent.

Budget deliberations are expected to wrap up Wednesday.

The plan is to use a $10.2 million tax break from the province on existing projects that need funding.

Aldermen Andre Chabot and Peter Demong were among members of council pushing to lower the tax hike to 4.8 per cent and give the savings back to taxpayers.

Ward 8′s John Mar did not support the motion, saying the long-term savings didn’t seem significant enough.

“I can’t go down the road of over 10 years, giving $150 back to the citizens of Calgary, when we could actually utilize it for something that mattered,” he said.

The motion was voted down 9 to 5.

Council has a long list of items, and they now must determine what is priority and where the money will be spent.