'It's ridiculous': Langford mayor defends proposed 12% property tax hike
A proposed 12 per cent property tax increase for Langford residents isn’t sitting well with many.
The public will get the opportunity to give its thoughts on Langford’s draft budget on Thursday night at a committee of the whole meeting.
"It’s just several large ticket items that just came to us," said Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson on Thursday afternoon.
Those items include funding for four new police officers, nine new firefighters, six new staff at Langford City Hall, general inflation and the doubling of Langford’s financial support for the YMCA/YWCA.
"Even with that jump, we’re still the fourth lowest taxes in the CRD, and we’re the third largest city," said Goodmanson.
Former Langford mayor Stew Young says an increase of this magnitude never would have happened under his and past council's watch.
"It’s ridiculous and not warranted," said Young.
Young says over the last 30 years, tax increases in Langford have averaged two per cent per year. Taxes were kept low through a community amenity fund, paid for by developers.
"Development, as it comes to Langford, paid amenity fees to reduce the taxes to the existing residents so that they wouldn’t have to pay over the cost of living at any time," said Young.
Now the city is doing away with using that amenity fund to subsidize property taxes.
"The five year plan is to reduce and stop using general amenity funds because there’s not much left in that account," said Goodmanson.
The mayor says there is only about $2.5-million left in the account.
"You don’t want to constantly rely on that," he said.
Young says he’s hearing some developers are no longer looking to invest in Langford, meaning replenishing that amenity fund could be challenging for the new council.
Municipalities across the region are facing higher tax increases this year as well.
Saanich is looking at a 7.1 per cent tax increase, Oak Bay is projecting a nine per cent rise and Nanaimo is eyeing a 7.3 per cent increase.
With the cost of almost everything going up, people are feeling the pinch.
Many in Langford say a 12 per cent increase on their property taxes could be their breaking point.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.