Committee sends HRM budget to council
Posted Apr 24, 2013 02:17:40 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HRM’s Audit and Finance Committee has dediced to send the proposed budget to Council for a vote next week.
The “no tax increase” option is on the table, which means reducing the residedntial tax rate and commercial tax rate by 1.5 per cent.
The reductions mean the average homeowner won’t see taxes go up.
More than half of businesses will still see a slight tax increase.
But as Councillor Barry Dalrymple notes, the business occpuancy tax is gone.
“We are either going to lower taxes for the vast majority of residents here, or keep the same rate,” said Dalrymple during the Committee session. “And again, other government levels aren’t doing that.”
Councillor Tim Outhit points out even though taxes are being lowered, there are other cities that pay more for more services.
“We do not provide affordable housing, for example, or subsidized housing,” said Outhit. “Welfare is not paid for by HRM taxpayers. It’s paid for by the province.”
The whole thing is being made possible by a new surplurs forecast that shows the municpality will have an extra $26 million at the end of this year.
