There is a question that has been with me for several years. Perhaps it is a time for an answer – if there is an answer. If no one from city council steps forward to answer, perhaps some wise taxpayer will.
In 2017 there were 130 new single-family homes built in Salmon Arm. In 2018, there were 120 new single-family homes built. Besides that, there were multi-family units built. Based on what I have seen of these new homes, and based on our city taxes, each of the home’s tax is at least $2,500. For both 2017 and 2018, that works out to about $300,000.
These homes do not add much to city costs, as near as I can see. The developer covers all the infrastructure costs. So there is some additional street cleaning. But what other costs are there?
Why then do the additional taxes not cover the added costs? Why must taxes go up every year?
Related: City staff find reduction to tax increase
Related: Letter: Calculating property taxes on residential properties
It is good to see that the tax increase was reduced from four per cent down to 3.3 per cent. But it is doubtful that many workers saw a three per cent pay increase in either 2017 or 2018. An increasing number of residents are retirees. From 2017 to 2018 my CPP increased by 1.5 per cent; my OAS increased by two per cent; my teacher’s pension increased by .08 per cent.
Add to the increases to local taxes, the increases of both provincial and federal taxes that always come, and you can perceive that these eventually beggar the taxpayer. How long can this situation go on before the system collapses?
Alfred Schalm
@SalmonArm
newsroom@saobserver.net
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