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The crunch isn’t over, mayor warns Council adopts 3.91 per cent tax increase KRISTEN DOUGLAS CAMPBELL RIVER MIRROR
Property taxes are going up 3.91 per cent for Campbell River homeowners in 2013. The residential increase equates to $55.43 more per year, based on the average Campbell River home assessed at $268,000. There will be no increase to any of the other tax classes in 2013. Though the rate hike is modest compared to last year’s 13.6 per cent increase, not all members of council were thrilled with the budget, which was hammered out Monday and Tuesday in council’s second of a three-year transition to shift the tax burden from heavy industrial to the residential sector. The budget was approved Tuesday afternoon by councillors Andy Adams, Ryan Mennie,
WebPoll We asked: Are you happy NHL hockey is back? You said: Yes – 43 votes (38%) No – 69 votes (61%) Today’s question: Are you happy with the city’s budget? Vote at campbellrivermirror.com
Claire Moglove and Mary Storry. Mayor Walter Jakeway and councillors Ron Kerr and Larry Samson were opposed. Jakeway said not enough was done to give taxpayers a break. “This is just terrible, it’s awful,” he said. “We haven’t cut costs, this is the year to cut. Nothing’s gotten better, the crunch isn’t over. “The process has been good this year because it’s been simplified but the results are not good.” Jakeway said council’s mistake was not cutting staff at city hall when council was deliberating its base budget in December. He said he would like to see $3.5 million in staff cuts and put towards the city’s $6 million debt as well as badly needed water and sewer infrastructure projects which will require the city to borrow funding, further increasing the city’s debt. On Monday, council approved a water and sewer capital plan that endorses the city borrowing up to $15 million over 15 years to pay for nearly $60 million in projects between 2013 and 2017. Jakeway said that will likely not sit well with taxpayers. “What we’ve done is a dramatic change,” he said. “I think we’re going to be criticized. My concern is we didn’t cut enough.” Jakeway pointed to projects contained within council reserve funds, which are similar to a Continued on A4
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I want you! Big Jon Hameister-Ries of the BC Lions booms outs his energy-saving message to Ocean Grove students on Tuesday afternoon. Learn more about his visit to local schools and see more photos on Page A13.
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