A large increase in taxes may be slapped on Williams Lake residents in the coming days.
Questions began swirling online after Councillor Scott Nelson posted online that residential tax would go up to 16.5 percent.
However, a tax increase in Williams Lake is nothing new.
“The community got taxed the nine percent increase last year, which would’ve dictated 12.8 percent to the residential section,” says Joan Flaspohler, Councillor and Finance Chair.
“and this year we’re looking at a 11.1 taxation increase, and it would be a 16 and a half percent taxation increase to the residential section.”
Flaspohler added that the 16.5 percent increase would translate to $280 more over the year for the average household.
During Tuesday’s budget meeting, Flaspohler noted the taxation increases over the last several years.
- 2022 – 9 percent
- 2021 – 3.3 percent
- 2020 – 2.7 percent
- 2019 – 4.9 percent
There are a few reasons why the City will look to bring the taxation increase, with one reason being infrastructure.
“We’re currently down two water wells in this community, so we’ve got to bite the bullet and not constantly say we’ll wait for this to happen if we get a grant.” says Flaspohler.
“We have to be responsible to the infrastructure and the ground, and actually make it so that we’re taking care of this community and not just keep taxes low as our only focus point.”
Williams Lake isn’t the only municipality in the province to see a bump in taxes this year as Quesnel went up by 9.5 percent, with one of the largest being Prince Rupert at 15.7 percent.
The taxation increase is only a proposal, and will be voted on next week.