Langford residents protest 'frightening' 12% proposed tax hike

Some Langford residents are voicing their displeasure over the city's proposed property tax increase of 12 per cent.

On Tuesday night, dozens of protesters gathered outside city hall to speak at a council meeting that was cancelled on short notice.

Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson told CTV News the meeting was cancelled because he was too ill to attend.

On March 30, Goodmanson defended the city's proposed tax increase, saying that unforeseen budget items – like having to hire more police and firefighters, and provide more funding to the YMCA/YWCA – were the reasons for the hike.

"The five-year plan is to reduce and stop using general amenity funds because there’s not much left in that account," he added.

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.

Langford residents who were outside city hall on Tuesday said the increase was too high.

"Lower the tax, don't break our backs," was a common chant that evening.

"Young people, renters, people on pensions, everybody is suffering right now," said resident Scott Perry. "And to put this onto us, [it] isn't the right time."

The gathering on Tuesday was an escalation for a Langford group that has already voiced its concerns inside city hall.

"It just got to the point where we felt like we were being silenced," said resident Lisa Foxall.

"So we felt like it was time that we needed to bring it to another level, but a peaceful one," she said.

Saanich and Nanaimo are looking at property tax increases of about seven per cent this year, while Oak Bay is eyeing a nine per cent increase.

It's little consolation for the residents of Langford, though.

"Some have even said that they'll have to move out of Langford," said Foxall. "They'll have to look into an areas like Sooke and go farther."

No one from the city was available to comment on the issue Wednesday, but the tax increase is expected to be debated at the next council meeting next week.

"You haven't heard the end of us because a 12 per cent increase is definitely frightening for us," said Foxall.

With files from CTV News Vancouver Island's Brendan Strain