Higher taxes OK—to a point
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New Westminster residents will likely face a property tax increase next year and more than half of the city’s residents would rather pay more, instead of having services cut.
According to an Ipsos Reid survey conducted this fall, 56 per cent of those asked said they would support tax increases over service cuts.
But taxpayers have their limits. If the tax rate was in the four to five per cent range, only 47 per cent said they would support it so existing services could be maintained.
The city commissioned the telephone survey in advance of council budget discussions, which are set to begin in earnest on Monday. Between Sept. 17 and Oct. 1, 400 residents were randomly contact for the survey.
Asked about using casino revenues to pay for the city’s operations, 71 per cent supported this existing practice. Residents are also not opposed to the city selling advertising signage in its facilities, with 77 per cent approving it as a source of revenue.
But the idea of more parking meters or higher parking rates doesn’t pass muster, with just 42 per cent saying OK, and a fewer still—40 per cent— saying they’d approve of pay parking at city facilities.
Other measures like higher permit and inspection fees (61 per cent) and setting user fees to recover the cost of programs and services (56 per cent) got more support.
New Westminster has just begun detailed public discussions that will last several months. Last week council initially approved utility fee increases that will result in owners of single family dwellings paying an additional $50 on their utility bill in 2010.
