(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)
December 16, 2016 - 11:21 AM
KELOWNA – Property taxes are going up in Kelowna next year by almost four per cent following council's budget deliberations yesterday.
Council has voted to raise property taxes by 3.86 per cent following a full day of debate yesterday, Dec. 15, that whittled down the 4.4 per cent increase proposed by city staff.
The tax increase amounts to $72 a year on an average single family home assessed at about $558,000, according to a City of Kelowna media release.
Taxes went up an average 4.11 per cent in 2016, with property owners told at that time they should expect increases in that range for five years.
The city says just under half of the tax increase comes from an increase in employee contract costs and construction of the new RCMP detachment. While council decided to double the number of bylaw officers to four from two next year, it did postpone a project to turn the Glenmore Fire Hall into a "career station" in an effort to save money.
The city will be spending about $12.2 million on capital projects in 2017. Over half will go to the maintenance and replacement of city buildings and infrastructure like roads, water, sewer. About 30 per cent will "keep up with growth" and the remainder will be used for new infrastructure.
Council will vote on the final budget and property tax hike in April, 2017.
You can have a look at the city's 2017 financial plan here.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2016