Halifax explores lessening property tax hike
Halifax Regional Municipality councillors are looking to halve a proposed property tax hike.
At Friday’s budget committee, councillor Tony Mancini said he believes an eight per cent hike to average property tax bills is too high of a starting point.
Instead, Mancini brought forward a motion to have city staff look to build a budget based on a four per cent increase.
"We may end up at five or six [per cent]. We may end up lower or if we’re prepared to change services or reduce services we may even get below that four per cent," he said.
Halifax staff maintain that an eight per cent jump is necessary to sustain city operations without impacting services.
If approved by regional council, the average residential property bill would go up $173 each year for homeowners and $3,955 for businesses.
Halifax's Chief Financial Officer Jerry Blackwood outlined possible paths to get to a less than eight per cent increase.
They include reallocating some, or all, of the $20 million set aside for a stadium, as well as taking the $2 million reserved for the new Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.
Cuts to operations - such as road paving - are also being discussed.
Blackwood noted that $31 million needs to be saved in order to reduce the increase to four per cent, but he also warned even at a six per cent average property tax bill hike, taxes would have to rise next year to at least seven per cent.
"The decisions you make with this budget. I cannot stress how they will impact future budgets," Blackwood said.
Councillor Paul Russell, who also chairs the Budget Committee, wants to limit tax increases and notes he believes the 4.6 per cent hike from last year was too high.
"Nobody wants an increase of four per cent of their taxes. We know that it’s going to be tough," he said. "But I think this is the road we’re going to have to head down."
Russell added the pending carbon tax gives rebates to consumers but not municipalities.
While a four per cent hike is a starting point it may not be where the proposal ends.
"We might have to cut services, we might have to cut some programs. We might have to not do some things that we had hoped to do," Russell said.
Over the next five months, each business unit will be assessed for its costs and wants—all to be added to a shopping list that will be considered by the city.
"We’ll look at that list at the end and bring that into the budget and that would form the final tax rate which we won’t really know until the end of March, the beginning of April," Russell said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6562861.1720110688!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Trying to sell or buy a home this summer? What a realtor says you should know
In the first few weeks of summer, the real estate sector is experiencing an upturn marked by more housing inventory, a Canadian realtor says
What you need to know about a possible LCBO strike on Friday
Ontarians could see long lineups at LCBO stores across the province today as customers prepare for a possible strike that will close all LCBO locations for the next two weeks.
Nathan's hot dog eating contest: Bertoletti eats 58 hot dogs to claim Mustard Belt, Sudo wins 10th women's title
Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago has won his first men’s title at the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, while dental hygiene student Miki Sudo of Florida has won her 10th title.
No Frills grocery stores drop 'multi-buy' offer
As receipts tick ever higher for Canadians at the grocery store and shoppers continue to search for savings, one Canadian grocer has ended a perceived deal.
Victoria and David Beckham recreate their wedding day photos 25 years later
The British power couple got hitched in 1999, fusing the worlds of fashion and football forever. While their marriage has endured 25 years later, the pair have come to regret some of the minor details of their big day.
Hurricane Beryl churns toward Mexico after leaving destruction in Jamaica and eastern Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl ripped off roofs in Jamaica, jumbled fishing boats in Barbados and damaged or destroyed 95 per cent of homes on a pair of islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines before rumbling toward the Cayman Islands and taking aim at Mexico's Caribbean coast after leaving at least seven dead in its wake.
Son asks court to sell B.C. home he co-owns with his mother, despite her objections
A B.C. judge has ordered the sale of a Surrey home despite the objections of the woman who lives there, who owns it jointly with her son.
Will Justin Trudeau step down, or stay on? Survey shows what Canadians think
A majority of Canadians think Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will stay on to lead his party in the next election even as his approval ratings are still extremely low, a new poll suggests.
Ottawa landlord left with hefty bill after tenant trashes rental property
A landlord in Ottawa is facing thousands of dollars in repairs after his tenant left his only rental property damaged and disorderly.