Vaughan tax hike OK'd: Average tax bill now just under $5K a year

YorkRegion.com
April 2, 2015
Adam Martin-Robbins

The city’s portion of your property tax bill is rising 2.7 per cent this year.

For an average homeowner with a house valued at $587,000, that works out to a $34 hike in the city taxes, bringing it to $1,314 from $1,279 a year.

On top of that, there’s the $57 hospital levy as well as York Region’s share of the tax bill, which is going up by $68, and the provincial education tax.

Combined, the average homeowner’s total tax bill will rise to $4,853 from $4,750 in 2014.

Vaughan council approved its 2015 budget with the 2.7 per cent tax hike Wednesday night despite impassioned pleas from some of longtime residents.

“There is an impact on people that you don’t see and these are your neighbours; these are your people,” Woodbridge resident Mary Bowers said. “There are people that aren’t eating well because they can’t afford to. And why? Because their household budget just won’t account for more money and every year it gets harder and harder. And you’ll see, over the next four years people will be leaving these communities. They won’t be able to afford the homes.”

Mariusz Gruba, who has lived in Maple for two decades, echoed those comments.

“Why don’t you just stick, maybe, to one year with no increases to taxes?” Gruba asked. “I agree with the speaker before me, people will leave Vaughan. Believe me because for the last 20 years I have not seen a budget which did not include an increase of taxes.”

Regional Councillor and budget committee chairperson Gino Rosati responded by saying although tax increases aren’t welcome, they’re required to continue delivering services at the level residents have come to expect.

“We are one of the lowest tax increases compared to other municipalities. I know that’s no consolation, but … we, as a municipality, face major demand and pressure for more funds, particularly the rate of inflation affects us,” he said. “Unless we increase taxes, we won’t have the funds to provide the quality services that our residents are accustomed to and deserve — and we intend to continue providing.”

The tax increase helps fund a $259.1 million operating budget and a $92.7 million capital budget.

Among the major projects included in this year’s budget are two artificial turf soccer fields at North Maple Regional Park; the Vellore Village South Library; relocating the Kleinburg fire station; a fire training tower and renovations at Kleinburg United Church to create a community space.

In addition to bumping up property taxes, council also voted to increase the cost of doing laundry, watering the garden and flushing the toilet.

The combined water and wastewater rate, set by the City of Vaughan and the Region of York, is to be jacked up to $3.391 per cubic metre from $3.0856 per cubic metre, an increase of 9.9 per cent.

That translates into an extra $91.59 a year — or $7.63 per month — for the average user who consumes about 300 cubic metres per year, according to a city staff report.

Of the 9.9 per cent increase, about 6.4 per cent comes from the region while 3.5 per cent is driven by the city.

The rate hike is expected to generate an additional $12.8 million for the water and wastewater system.