All Powerful Surrey First Set To Raise Taxes By 10 Percent

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In all, the taxes for the average Surrey home will be climbing from $1,593 this year to $1,755 next year. The one-per-cent road levy amounts to a $15.93 increase for next year. There was no mention by Surrey First during the fall election campaign that it would either reduce capital construction or introduce a levy to pay for it.

SURREY – The all powerful Surrey First, which was re-elected with no opposition, is set to raise taxes in = next year – equivalent to a 10-per-cent increase – as the new administration 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, reported Surrey Leader newspaper.

However, the increases don’t stop there.

In fact, combined hikes planned for next year’s tax bill are $162.

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 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-per-cent increase.

The secondary suite fee hike is explained by increasing costs associated with the bylaw department, police force and fire services.

There was no mention by Surrey First during the fall election campaign that it would either reduce capital construction or introduce a levy to pay for it.

In fact, the coalition said more police officers would be paid for in part by revenue from growth ($5.2 million), portions of secondary suite fees ($13.5 million), Surrey City Development Corporation Dividends ($4.5 million) and electronic signage ($1.4 million).

Gill said there were other cost pressures that came as a surprise, including a benefits increase to the RCMP and a pay increase to Surrey firefighters totalling $6.5 million, part of which the city was expecting. The Firefighters union supported Surrey First.

Courtesy Surrey Leader Newspaper