As I read the news today that Sussex is cutting it’s tax rate by 4.73 cents, I once again wonder about our own city’s property tax rate.
Sussex isn’t alone in lowering it’s property tax rate. St. Stephen plans to lower it’s rate by 1.5 cents, Rothesay is dropping it’s rate by 2 cents, while Grand Bay-Westfield is holding their rate.
Meanwhile here in Saint John, there has been talk about actually raising taxes!
This is after we saw the biggest increase of any city in the province in terms of the provincial tax base assessment this year. Saint John’s tax base increased 9.08 per cent, or $458,654,993, from last year’s figures.
That means approximately $8.2 million in new money.
This “extra” money is coming directly from us in the form of increased property assessments.
I’m not sure about you; but, I am not anticipating better service for this increase of 10-12 percent over what I paid last year.
Luckily, there are councillors who are pushing to cut the tax rate. Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase and councillors Gary Sullivan, Carl Killen and Bill Farren are holding fast to their election pledges with commitments to reduce the rate.
Recently, a report indicated that the city will have to boost the tax rate to $1.89, unless council denies requests from community groups and city departments.
It said the politicians must shave about $5.2 million from his preliminary budget to hold the rate; they would have to slash an additional $1 million to cut the rate by two cents.
“My objective is finding that $6 million,” Chase said. “Hopefully there won’t be any service cuts, but instead more effective, efficient delivery of service. We can’t simply have an open cheque book here, because that doesn’t change anything at all and it isn’t acceptable to the citizens.”
Show your support for a tax cut by emailing your councillors today!
