Mission council is proposing a municipal property tax increase of 4.62 per cent as well as increases to the drainage levy (9.75 per cent), water utility user fees (one per cent) and sewer utility user fees (five per cent).
Garbage and recycling fees will remain the same.
This is a budget proposal – the first by the newly elected council – and has not yet been approved.
The public will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed budget at a consultation meeting scheduled to take place Feb. 19.
If the proposed budget is approved in its current form, the result will be a total increase of approximately $128.71 for the average assessed home (valued at $667,875) in Mission.
In a report to council, that increase is broken down by each category.
The drainage levy increase of 9.75 per cent means the yearly fee changes from $106.47 to $116.84, an increase of $10.37.
The water utility user fee increase of one per cent will see the fee rise from $498.72 to $504, an increase of $5.32.
The sewer utility user fee increase of five per cent will see the numbers rise from $414 to $435, an increase of $21.
Finally, the average assessed home would see its property tax rise from $1,958.68 to approximately $2,050.74, an increase of $92.06 (based on a tax increase of 4.7 per cent).
Adding all the increases together results in an average increase of $128.71.
Along with the Feb. 19 public consultation, a survey regarding the 2019 budget will be available on the district’s website from Feb. 1-19. Results from this survey will be provided to council at the March 6 special meeting of council.
