Quote:
Originally Posted by spaustin
Actual residential rate is going down because assessment growth more than covers the increase. HRM talks of the budget in terms of the tax bill which is the combined impact of assessment and rate. Only order of government that does it this way. Feds and Province don't talk about taking in more sales or income taxes as raising the bill! Total increase in the tax bill is 4.6%.
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That's because you and your predecessors always played the street corner shell game with the whole tax rate/tax bill peas on the public, by trumpeting that "we reduced taxes" when you had to lower the rate slightly because of assessment roll growth, then left taxpayers wondering why they still got bigger bills every year. And other govts often talk about the total bill i.e. "the average taxpayer will be paying $xxx more/less this upcoming year".
Some budgetary discipline every now and then is a good thing for govts. You guys ought to try a dose sometimes.