Council to debate property tax freeze
Posted Jun 27, 2016 7:01 am.
Last Updated Jun 27, 2016 8:05 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A property tax freeze may be too difficult to accomplish next year.
A report going to council Monday, outlines options for lowering the 2017 rate hike, and warns against getting to zero per cent.
The city originally planned for the number to jump by 4.7 per cent, but is debating ways to bring it down, as homeowners and businesses feel the pinch of this year’s bill.
Administration is laying out various places where council could re-arrange its cash, but many of those options come with service cuts.
The report says any number lower than 1.5 per cent, and the city will run into problems.
It says reaching zero per cent could mean an even higher tax hike in 2018.
Counc. Shane Keating says if we can’t get a tax freeze, he’s on board to lower it as much as they can.
“The unions have to do something, the city council has to do something, the residents of Calgary have to do something to be able to make sure that in these times, we can coast, and get to a better time, without question,” he said.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi said if services are going to be cut, council has to be honest about possible service cuts, and see if the public is on board.
