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April 24, 1985 News 985-2131 Classified 986-622

IV City tax hi

3

North Vancouver | water-
front businesses will be pay-
ing an extra $149,000, and
the rest will be spread equal-
iy between single family

- homes, strata and commer-

cial property, council decid-
ed Monday.

Although 2.8 per cent is
the overall increase to Norih
Vancouver taxpayers, in-
dustry and utility taxes will
be hiked by 10 per cent,
strata property taxes will
jump by 10.7 per cent,
commercial property taxes

‘will increase by 1.8 per. cent

and single family home taxes
will rise by .2 per cent.

Although percentage in-
creases will. vary depending
on property assessments, on
the average, single-family
homeowners will be charged
a $1 increase, strata owners
will be charged a $43 in-
crease, commercial property
owners will be charged a
$113 increase, and as values
of land differ considerably,
industry and utility will be
charged 10 per cent more
depending on property
value.

Four City aldermen were
in favor of the tax increases,
including the 10 per cent
hike aimed at industrial and
utility properties.

Said Ald. Rod = Clark:
“Industry and utilities sector
has been out of line in pay-
ing fair tax. The single fami-
ly homeowner suffered
grievous tax increases a few
years back due to the land
boom. They had to pay
more, The problem with
assessment for industry and
utility land is that it turns
over less quickly. Ten per
cent would keep them in
tine."

sree
ee :

Ge |

its industry hard

Up 10 per cenit
for businesses

INDUSTRY has been hardest hit in North Van-
couver City’s 1985 budget, bearing half of the
$296,000 tax hike.

By BARRETT FISHER

But Ald. Dana Taylor said
.10 per cent was too high for
industry, and 7.5. per. cent
would be a more fair in-
crease. He said a 7.5 per cent
increase would achieve part
of the goal of bringing in-
dustry and utility property
into line without hitting as
hard with a 10 per cent hike.

“Everyone says ‘God bless
free enterprise, but you big
guys can look after
yourself,’ A more moderate
approach would be a more
appreciative approach,”’
Taylor said.

Said Ald. Ralph Hal!:
“The major industrie. ou
the waterfront aren’: paying
their share. One tenth is not
very much money for the big
companies. The amount of

.money amounts to pea-

nuts.”"

With the 2.8 per cent in-
crease, taxes for single and
Strata homeowners and
commercial property owners
are lower than 1982 figures.

Mayor Jack Loucks told
council that the less than
three per cent increase was a
modest one considering day
to day costs of operating the
municipality have increased
considerably. ,

The City’s share of ex-
penditures for police protec-
tion has increased by
$478,486, Loucks said, due
mainly to RCMP contract
costs increasing by $362,000.

The cost sharing of total
expenditures between City
and District of North Van-
couver increased for City
from 46 to 49 per cent,
Loucks said.

Budget expenditures for
recreation facilities and
grants increased this year,
and $1,380,000 has been set
aside to complete the Water-
front Park at Londsdale
Quiv in ime for Expo 86.