By Cheryl Jahn

Taxpayers get a break

Feb 8, 2021 | 8:10 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Prince George taxpayers have been given a break, though the decision was not unanimous.

Councillor Kyle Sampson put forward a motion early in the discussion for a zero percent tax hike this year, using roughly half of the $6.1-million Safe Restart fund.

He noted that 60% of survey respondents to the City’s budget survey which he believes “simply cannot be ignored.”

However, Councillor Cori Ramsay made an amendment to the motion, pushing for a one percent tax hike, adding a zero percent tax hike means the budgets for next year and, possibly, the year after, will require tremendous tax hikes. She noted the City needs to keep up with inflation. If not “we’ll be playing catch up.”

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“Slow and steady wins the race for me.”

One-by-one, Councillors made their cases for the position they took, zero percent or one percent.

The Director of Finance was asked about the tax decisions for peer municipalities and Kris Dalio noted that Kamloops is looking at a 0.49% hike, using half of its Restart dollars. Kelowna is looking at a 4.04% tax hike, Nanaimo is looking at three percent, while Chilliwack is looking at a tax hike of 2.99% and Maple Ridge is looking at a 3.6% tax hike. Out of curiosity, he also added that the City of Vancouver is looking at a five percent tax hike.

The finial decision was not unanimous, with Mayor Lyn Hall and Councillors Frank Everett, Maury Krause, Kyle Sampson, Brian Skakun and Terri McConnachie voting in favour of a zero percent hike.

There was also a request from RCMP Superintendent Shaun Wright for the addition of two officers to conduct training. But Mayor and Council all felt the financial burden of the request, especially next year, would too onerous, adding that type of training should be done during basic training.

That request was denied.