Have your say next week on Vaughan's proposed tax hike

Vaughan Citizen
January 10, 2014
By Adam Martin-Robbins

You’ll get another chance to weigh in on how the city spends your tax dollars next week.

The next round of budget talks takes place Wednesday, Jan. 15 starting at 7 p.m. at city hall, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr.

Finance department staff will present a revised budget that includes a proposed 3.47-per cent hike on the city’s portion of the property tax bill.

That works out to an increase of about $43 for the average homeowner, with a house valued at $551,000.

While that is down from the initial 4.8 per cent - or $58 - tax bump proposed by city staff when budget deliberations began in November, it seems unlikely council will approve a hike of more than 3 per cent.

Several council members, including Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Maple Kleinburg Councillor Marilyn Iafrate, who serves as finance committee chairperson, have said they favour an increase of less than 3 per cent.

Should council approve the proposed budget as is, the total property tax bill for the average homeowner - including the Region of York levy, the provincial education portion and the $60 hospital levy - would be $4,674, up $77 from $4,597 last year.