WRITTEN BY BILL McQUARRIE
Residential property taxes in Port McNeill are going up, but for many, according to the budget passed by town council on May 4, the increases will be moderate.
The most recent BC Assessment numbers show a slight increase in local property values and today, the average value of a house in Port McNeill is assessed at $227,377 and the town’s property tax on that home will go up by just over $12.00 for a total tax of $1169.
Utilities (water, sewer, garbage) for that same property will be $590, an increase of $14 over the 2020 utility bill.
The town must also collect taxes on behalf of the Regional District of Mount Waddington and Regional Hospital District and those amounts will also show up on your annual property tax bill. Using the average valued house, that homeowner would pay an additional $390 on top of Port McNeill property taxes and utility fees.
Property taxes in Port McNeill account for only 18 per cent or $1.5 million of the town’s total budget of $8.3 million.
Nearly 50 per cent or $3.8 million of the town’s expenses will be covered by grants.
If you would like to calculate what your taxes will be this year; you can multiply the value of your home in thousands (value divided by 1,000) by $5.140. Using the average priced ($227,377) home as an example, that would be 227.377 x $5.140 = $1169.
You can do the same for the regional district by using $1.383 and for hospitals you would multiply by $0.333.
Alternatively, you can, as many do, simply wait for that day when the envelope from the town shows up in our mailbox.
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