So I got my tax bill ...

Being a bit of a “numbers guy”, the arrival of my annual property tax bill is a very exciting event.  I pore over the numbers, note what increased, what decreased (which hardly ever happens) and what the various taxing agencies’ rates of increase were. 

I suspect most people, like me, are mostly concerned with the bottom number and how that affects our cost of living. Since moving to Parksville in 2017, the assessed value of my house increased by 109% and the total taxes/utilities by 70%, so while that’s “a win”, it doesn’t help my pocketbook any.

Looking just at the Parksville Municipal Tax line (no fees or utilities) the picture is not much better.  Since 2017, Parksville taxes have increased by 54.3% (per declared average annual tax increase) and over the past 4 years they are up by 27.1%.  It should be noted that the BC Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 18.37% over those same four years, so Municipal taxes are outpacing the CPI by a significant margin.

So what to do?  Parksville is in good financial shape with a solid plan to boost reserves for major infrastructure projects and maintain fire and police protection services.  But does the money have to always come from taxpayers?  Can expenses be reduced or deferred?  Can revenues be boosted from other sources such as higher levels of government? 

As your City Councillor I would encourage your input and be an active voice on financial matters at City Hall.  Let’s work together to make it happen.

If you have any questions about my candidacy, please fill out the “Ask Ralph” section at the bottom of the Home page and I will get back to you pronto.