It's budget season again and the City of Prince Rupert has proposed a 6.4 per cent property tax increase.
We all get that costs have gone up. We all get that the city has plenty of issues that need to be addressed. And we all want the services and amenities the city provides.
But what is the breaking point for taxpayers?
Remember, this is on top of a 12.5 per cent increase in 2023 and a 7.7 per cent increase last year. It was 3.6 per cent in 2022, but that was on top of a 30 per cent increase in assessed property values making it effectively more.
The city estimates the 2025 increase will amount to approximately $129 for the average homeowner, but they are also looking at raising utility rates by $145. It doesn't seem like a ton of money over the course of a year, but it all adds up, especially on top of all the other inflationary increases we face.
The biggest chunk of the proposed 6.4 per cent is 2.6 per cent for labour contractual/benefit increases. Nobody begrudges city workers their inflationary increases, but it certainly doesn't help all the homeowners who aren't lucky enough to work for an organization that is providing inflationary increases.
And even if you are getting inflationary increases, they do not come close to the 6.4 per cent proposed.
We are not advocating for a tax revolt, here. The current 2025 budget has been prepared maintaining city services at existing levels. If it needs to be, it needs to be. If that's what the people want.
But maybe it's time for taxpayers to get a break while the city continues the good work it has been doing procuring grants and pursuing alternative revenue streams.
At the very least, as citizens we can participate in the process. The first public session only attracted three members of the public. There is another one Nov. 12 or you can write to finance@princerupert.ca.
The city also has an interactive budget page (princerupertbudget.ca.abalancingact.com) where you can propose your own balanced budget.
When you submit your proposal, the city asks you to answer this question: "Recognizing costs continue to climb, would you be willing to reduce non-essential service levels to reduce the proposed tax increase?
The city is the people, and the people are the city.
Have your say.