Property tax hikes really exceed inflation
Ranging from 4.6 to 15.20%, all far exceed annual inflation As the deadline approaches to pay your property taxes, everyone is interested in what their friends in neighbouring municipalities pay.…
BC doubles lending threshold for municipalities
Less scrutiny, fewer electoral approvals will be required Municipal taxpayers are concerned that councils in Greater Victoria and across BC can now borrow twice as much money without electoral approval.…
Property taxes ‘gone with the wind’
Victoria councillors seeking options on supporting cinema in the city in wake of theatre’s closure Frankly, my dear Coun. Matt Dell, Dave Thomson, and Krista Loughton, I don’t give a…
Saanich AAP financing plan elusive
BY Shawn Steele, Saanich resident Most people don’t know what an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) is, how it works, why it is used, and how to oppose it. The AAP…
Taxpayers keeping their fingers crossed
A ‘roadmap’ to reforming regional government is finally underway It’s no wonder regional governments such as the CRD are a punching bag for taxpayers and critics. Regional district legislation was…
Bring out the dandelion wine !
Taxpayers impacted by deteriorating provincial finances How the province conducts its finances matters greatly to municipal taxpayers who are finding the grim news very hard to swallow. The latest credit…
Analysis of regional policing costs revealing
$159 Million spent on law enforcement Total municipal expenditures in the CRD were $878 Million in 2023, including $159 Million for law enforcement by 614 police officers, according to the…
AAPs get little public respect
Additional democratic safeguards are needed A commentary by Stan Bartlett, vice-chair of Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria, a non-partisan citizens advocacy group for municipal taxpayers. The next time you have…
Changes to governance difficult
BY JOHN TRELEAVEN, Chair of Grumpy Taxpayer$ The Times Colonist editorial Amalgamating Services would be an easier step (Jan. 4) should accelerate a process which last had a moment 50…