Williams Lake City Council gave their first three readings for a tax rate increase.
During last Tuesday’s (April 16th) meeting, discussions surrounded a 3 percent increase for this years financial plan with some back and forth, which ended in favour for the increase.
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor gives a rundown on what this means for taxpayers.
“The three readings mean we have to have the bylaw passed and sent to the Minister, he will approve it before the 15th of May, and once he does that its a 3 percent tax increase.”
Talks regarding the increase were had after Councillor Scott Nelson put an amendment on the table to bring the tax increase to 0 percent, by using the Community Forest Grant.
Rathor says that money can’t be used for anything but infrastructure.
He added that the increase is in effort to keep taxes lower in the future, preventing something similar to what Osoyoos is seeing, which is between a 30 to 40 percent increase.
Rathor also questioned how long they would be able to keep up preventing a tax increase while also paying for infrastructure, which the City is behind on.