Calgary set for 4.7% property tax hike per year for next 4 years

[rage2]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...bate-1.2846460

The big headline is this: 4.7 per cent property tax hike in each of the next four years. Some say that's only $75 a year more tax for the average-priced house. But the reality if this budget passes is that you'll pay much more. First, your 2014 property tax bill came with a $100 credit for that average-priced house. This credit came courtesy of a one-time credit of $52 million. That credit won't be on your 2015 tax bill so your $75 tax increase just became a $175 jump in property taxes. Now, about your utility bill ... that's approximately $100 more a year under this budget. So now, average homeowner, you're looking at $275 more in 2015 if this budget is approved.

I thought we weren't paying for that library and it was completely funded by East Village future revenues? Weird.

Some projects have been in the works and others are actually new: three new interchanges, four-car LRT trains, a new central library, 10 more police officers, two new city parkades downtown and two creaky inner-city bridges (zoo and Inglewood) will be replaced. There will also be four new recreation centres, a green cart program for your compost, new fire stations and 500 new full-time equivalent jobs at the City of Calgary to meet the needs of a growing population.

It adds up after 4 years.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...ikes-1.2846883

By the end of the four-year cycle, the owner of an average-priced Calgary house would be sending an additional $920 per year to city hall.

[rage2]

Anyone have the details for the 3 new interchanges? Those are the big dollar pieces from the looks of it. Are they the required by contract interchanges in the NE so that we could actually connect the airport tunnel?

[killramos]

That's what people voted for. Congrats Calgary this is the consequence of re-electing someone who looks great on TV and makes you feel fuzzy inside.

Its mind boggling that he can announce new and creative ways to spend money. Highlight on NEW. and then try to tell us that there is nowhere where money could be saved and it is just a factor of changing times and urban sprawl ( blaming people who move to the city).

Our per capita spending is through the roof, only in Calgary can he get away with this.



I swear he is going to push for an income tax before the end of his term...

[NoMoreG35]

Originally posted by killramos
That's what people voted for. Congrats Calgary this is the consequence of re-electing someone who looks great on TV and makes you feel fuzzy inside.

Its mind boggling that he can announce new and creative ways to spend money. Highlight on NEW. and then try to tell us that there is nowhere where money could be saved and it is just a factor of changing times and urban sprawl ( blaming people who move to the city).

Our per capita spending is through the roof, only in Calgary can he get away with this.



I swear he is going to push for an income tax before the end of his term...

I cannot agree more!! Maybe I should start voting

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by rage2
Anyone have the details for the 3 new interchanges? Those are the big dollar pieces from the looks of it. Are they the required by contract interchanges in the NE so that we could actually connect the airport tunnel?

AFAIK the 96th ave connection to Stoney only needs one interchange at Stoney and it'd just be an expansion of the existing one that's sort of a one-way interchange - most of the grading is already complete, it just needs paving and probably a second bridge deck. I suppose they might do an interchange at Metis but I'm not sure about that.

Interchanges aside, nearly 5% yearly for four years is fucking crazy money, especially when you take the utility hikes into account.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[rage2]

The $920 per year is just the final year number. If you add up the increases over 4 years, it's around $2500 over 4 years for the average homeowner assuming utilities don't go up again.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Shoot, I just saw the mention of the addition of 500 full-time positions at the City. Must be nice to be able to just mandate tax-funded employment.

[killramos]

Yup and I really do blame him for this. When Bronco was mayor he had his faults but he kept the idiots like Drug on the sidelines.

Nenshi on the other hand has given her the keys to the vault and this is exactly what comes of that. 0 sustainability. Only thought towards progressive policies for progressions sake. Because he cares what Calgary looks like to the world, and is completely out of touch with what the citizens of Calgary actually want. Combine that with an extraordinarily successful media blitz about how great he is with any avenue for criticism shut down every election and he ends up with his approval numbers...

Honestly i am surprised he actually lives in the city to come up with these ridiculous ideas.

[killramos]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat
Shoot, I just saw the mention of the addition of 500 full-time positions at the City. Must be nice to be able to just mandate tax-funded employment.

Yup, but not a damn one of them could be sacrificed to help mitigate the tax increase according to him

Smoke and Mirrors. Look at his left hand while his right is in your pocket.

[benyl]

Don't forget that your assessment is likely to go up in tandem with these increases which further increases the burden.

[roopi]

Current rates seem pretty fair to me. They could actually be raised to bring them up with other major cities. Some people should just be renters.

Calgary - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $6.10, $465,047, $2836.78
Edmonton - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $8.01, $365,520, $2927.82
Halifax - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.11, $264,447, $3202.45
Montreal - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $8.27, $344,273, $2847.14
Ottawa - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $11.27, $357,887, $4033.39
Regina - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $13.69, $331,161. $4533.60
Saskatoon - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.58, $349, 322, $4394.47
Toronto - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $7.23, $587,505, $4247.66
Vancouver - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $3.68, $819,336, $3015.16
Winnipeg - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.13, $270,605, $3282.44

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle20795900/

Edit - Second number is average home prices as of Oct 2014 from CREA. Third number is property taxes based on the first 2 numbers just to get an idea.

[kaput]

.

[killramos]

Originally posted by roopi
Current rates seem pretty fair to me. They could actually be raised to bring them up with other major cities. Some people should just be renters.

Calgary - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $6.10
Edmonton - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $8.01
Halifax - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.11
Montreal - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $8.27
Ottawa - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $11.27
Regina - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $13.69
Saskatoon - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.58
Toronto - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $7.23
Vancouver - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $3.68
Winnipeg - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.13

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle20795900/

Next time provide some context like average home price and income tax dollars per capita....

If you want to pay higher taxes go ahead. I imagine the CoC will accept checks, maybe even Visa for points.

[roopi]

Originally posted by killramos


If you want to pay higher taxes go ahead. I imagine the CoC will accept checks, maybe even Visa for points.

I don't want to just like everyone else but it has to happen and it is going to happen. Visa would be nice as an option.

[spikerS]

Guys relax!

He is running the city like you would run a business remember?

Nenshi's got this!

[schocker]

Rage2 for mayor!

They will just spend whatever they feel like because they have absolute power to pass their silly ideas with zero input.

[tenth]

Originally posted by roopi
Current rates seem pretty fair to me. They could actually be raised to bring them up with other major cities. Some people should just be renters.

Calgary - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $6.10
Edmonton - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $8.01
Halifax - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.11
Montreal - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $8.27
Ottawa - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $11.27
Regina - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $13.69
Saskatoon - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.58
Toronto - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $7.23
Vancouver - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $3.68
Winnipeg - Estimated property taxes per $1,000 of assessment: $12.13

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle20795900/

All that tells you is the places with expensive houses appear to pay less in property tax. Vancouver's housing market is many times more expesnive than Regina. The cost of providing services in high cost markets increases somewhat, but in no way would I expect it to be linear with home assessments. This is a poor metric.

[Masked Bandit]

The actual property tax bill in Calgary is pretty good compared to a lot of other major urban cities. What I truly don't know though is what people pay in the other cities for utilities & such along with what they get for their city services. How much do they pay to use city owned rec facilities? Is it the same, better or worse than us? What is the total cost per year when you factor in ALL the money given to the City of Calgary? That's what needs to be compared.

[blitz]

10 police officers and 500 bureaucrats?

Jesus.