Thursday December 11 2014
▼ Valley West Hawks unbeaten at home 19 ▼ ‘Fun-raizer’ for the Christmas bureau 3
The
Leader
HOMEOWNERS: PREPARE TO PAY ▶ SURREY TAX BILL SET TO SOAR NEXT YEAR – THE EQUIVALENT OF A 10% INCREASE
A new aquatic centre being built at 24 Avenue and 168 Street. City of Surrey staff are proposing a recreation and culture levy be applied to properties to pay for infrastructure improvements. Additional RCMP officers for 2015 will cost $15 million and the city doesn’t want to cut capital expenditures to pay for them. EVAN SEAL
KEVIN DIAKIW
Taxes in Surrey are set to soar next year – equivalent to a 10-per-cent increase – as the city grapples with cost pressures associated with an election promise to hire 100 more police officers. Surrey is planning to keep property tax increases at 2.9 per cent next year – or $46.20 for the average home worth $648,000.
However, the increases don’t stop there. In fact, combined hikes planned for next year’s tax bill are $162 for the average home. Other fees and levies are being added, largely due to a $15-million election promise of bringing in extra RCMP officers in 2015. Surrey staff are recommending the creation of a recreation and culture levy of $100 per home. That would generate $16 million annually
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for the city. In addition, a one-per-cent road levy introduced in 2007 as a temporary five-year measure will likely continue for another 10 years, according to Coun. Tom Gill, who is an accountant and chair of the city’s finance committee. The one-per-cent road levy amounts to a $15.93 increase for next year. In all, the taxes for the average Surrey home
will be climbing from $1,593 this year to $1,755 next year. If the home has a secondary suite, it’s going to get even more expensive. Surrey is planning to raise the secondary suite fee $116 to $526 per home – a 28-percent increase. continued on page 10
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