5.2% raise is "a little insulting"

http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/winnipeg/2009/02/17/8420871.html
"Steve Ashton, Manitoba's intergovernmental affairs minister, announced that the province will give the city $152 million, which is $7.5 million, or 5.2%, more than it granted last year."
...
""To try to spin that into a number that represents an increase is a little insulting, to tell you the truth," he said. "
....
"Today's announcement is 50% of where we need to be to not use property tax dollars to subsidize the provincial health care system," he said."


who the hell budgets themselves a 10% raise in one year and then blames the person giving them money when it is not enough?

Deank wrote:http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/winnipeg/2009/02/17/8420871.html
"Steve Ashton, Manitoba's intergovernmental affairs minister, announced that the province will give the city $152 million, which is $7.5 million, or 5.2%, more than it granted last year."
...
""To try to spin that into a number that represents an increase is a little insulting, to tell you the truth," he Deputy Mayor Justin Swandel said. "
....
"Today's announcement is 50% of where we need to be to not use property tax dollars to subsidize the provincial health care system," he Deputy Mayor Justin Swandel said."


who the hell budgets themselves a 10% raise in one year and then blames the person giving them money when it is not enough?

clarified the snippets because it made it look like Ashton was the only one talking.

heh.. yeah thats better

you're welcome.

Man they're sure talking a lot about raising taxes lately, and not too much about getting rid of the school tax portion.

I'm getting a bit nervous about this tax raise stuff.

What is so stupid is Mayor Sam's commitment of no new taxes! No one would ever complain about a 2-3% increase each year, to keep up with inflation!
Although I am happy with no new taxes, and as long as it works, so be it!
I notice that everything that is not called a tax goes up . Sewer charges, water charges, tried a garbage charge- but that didn't fly, tried to put some apartments in the Assiniboine park and all the old nut cases complained (not me,as I am in favour of allowing the city to get more revenue from anyone who is willing to send them more money).

"No one would ever complain about a 2-3% increase each year,"
but they already get that increase since the value of the property goes up.

the garbage charge did not fly because the recycling program at the time sucked arse, the public meetings were far from open to the public and the mayor at the time refused to listen to anyone.
A garbage charge now, with VASTLY increased blue box program might actually work.

Deank wrote:"No one would ever complain about a 2-3% increase each year,"
but they already get that increase since the value of the property goes up.

Not quite.

Property taxes are based on assessed value. Since Assessed value is done every three or so years, there is no automatic increase based on increasing property values.

The second factor in property tax calculations is mill rate. I believe the formula is mill rate X portion X assessed value. When people say their property taxes are going up because the property values are going up, that's incorrect. The city sets the budget basing property taxes on previous year in they want a 'freeze'. If they want say a 2% increase, then they take and apply a mill rate that gives them that increase.

Case in point - my assessed value went up 83%. Does that mean I'll be paying 83% more in property taxes? not likely, the mill rates have to be set first, and I'm guessing the mill rates will be adjusted to compensate for the increase in value that most property owners saw.