Regarding the proposed 3.7 per cent municipal tax increase for Mission, I would like to bring to your attention that there are many seniors living in Mission who are on fixed incomes (myself included).
When we have increased costs passed onto us we must figure out how to pay for this out of what we have coming in each month. This usually results in taking the increase away from one item in the budget and putting it into another – such as decreasing the amount spent on groceries and increasing the amount put aside toward property taxes.
Unlike yourselves, we cannot ask for, and receive, increases in our government pensions when our cost-of-living expenses rise. I would suggest to Mr. Hawes and council that perhaps you should practise successfully operating the District of Mission on the budget that you now have before you, instead of always asking for more from the taxpayers.
Prices of homes in Mission have increased substantially in 2016, along with the fact that there must have been many new residential buildings competed and permits issued for the same. This computes to dollars coming in to Mission’s operating budget. You have decreased the garbage collection, which is a great idea, and I assume this decreases the amount of money paid out for collection. You have also actively identified many illegal suits and have begun to charge for extra utilities, also something that is now bringing in extra revenue to Mission’s budget. So I have to ask, why does the taxpayer have to be penalized by paying more taxes?
A $100 increase from every homeowner is a sizable amount of money and I am certain that if you put your thinking caps on you could achieve the cost for extra police and 24-hour fire services within your budget without homeowner tax increases. The previous councils did not deem it necessary to increase property taxes and I have not noticed much difference in services around the district since you were elected into office.
In conclusion I will say that, no, I certainly do not agree with a tax increase and I hope the plan to do so is rescinded or flatly rejected.
Don Williams
Mission