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WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013
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Property tax notices in mail By Staff Writer Houston Today
SOUP KITCHEN Closes
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today
Houston’s “Love by the Bowl” served its last soup and sewed its last craft last week, closing for the summer. Organizer Bobbi Edmunds says they are hoping and praying that they will have a building and be able to reopen in the fall. Anyone with information about a building they could buy or lease is asked to call Donna at 250-845-8256 or Bobbi at 250-845-8861.
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Property Tax rates in the District of Houston will go up an overall of 1.8 percent on the municipal portion this year. Tax notices will be in the mail to over 1,000 Houston property owners this week. Property taxes make up about half of the District budget and nearly half of the revenue comes from major and light industry property taxes. Mayor Bill Holmberg commented that we have had some of the lowest tax increases in B.C. over the last two terms. “It costs money to run a town, we cannot run it for nothing,” he said. Holmberg said the Houston tax increase is lower than numerous neighbouring towns. He said we have to keep up with inflation
and the other side of it is that we have infrastructure falling apart that needs fixing and that costs money. There is also an increase in the ‘Water Parcel Tax Bylaw’ with rates going from $1.90 to $3.00 per frontage foot. The Sewer Parcel Tax is the same as last year. Planning is continuing on the proposed new Water Treatment Plant. District Chief Administrative Officer Linda Poznikoff said there will not be a referendum for the plant. She said there is enough money to cover the project from the Gas Tax Grant and from money in District Reserves. Since 2008 the District has put about $1 million a year into reserves toward the new Water Treatment Plant.
Houston Multiple Sclerosis support group walks Sunday By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
Houston MS (Multiple Sclerosis) support group is hosting an MS walk on Sunday, June 2 at 3 p.m. “We are trying to bring awareness to MS,” said Marion Shepherd, organizer
of the local MS walk. The group will hand out pamphlets with information on MS and how it affects you and the ones you love, and they will also be fund raising for the MS Society, said Shepherd. “People need to know that they can make a difference
“People need to know that they can make a difference.”
in the life of a person affected by MS,” says Debbie Irwin, Community Services
- Debbie Irwin, Community Services Coordinator Coordinator for the MS Society of Canada. Irwin says the
Canada-wide ‘1 day in May’ MS campaign aims to gain improved access to home care
for people living with MS, who struggle to obtain or keep the home care supports they need. Houston campaigners will start at A&W, go west along Highway 16 to the street lights by the Industrial Park, then they will cross the highway and head
IT’S BIG. 0% financing. IT’S ON NOW.
south across the bridge, and through to the east end of Steelhead Park and then back west through the park to A&W. Anyone interested in joining the walk or wanting more information is asked to contact Marion at 250-845-4636.
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