Billions set to flow into Calgary under 10-year plan

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by josh white

With regard to taxes, Calgary has some of the lowest property taxes of any major city in North America. Consequently, we get some of the skimpiest services. People want services, but seeminly not willing to pay for them.

I'm not sure that's true anymore - if it were ever really possible to judge. We've had what 8 straight years of tax hikes?

The funding is nice, but we've gotten billions already. Bronco typically uses the money for one of his pet projects and then goes back to the trough with his hand out whining about growth again.

And in fairness, even though I can't stand the mayor, there's no amount of money that would have dealt with our growth anyway. The change was just too fast. Anyone in his shoes would have been unable to make a dent in the infrastucture problems.

[Claeren]

^ Pet projects? Whuh?!

Do you not remember Crowchild Trail North? Or see how nice Glenmore will be? The many LRT extensions (that get hundreds and hundreds of cars off the roads!), etc?

And yes, Josh is right, we not only have low property taxes but in many cases property taxes that are but a fraction of other cities.


And remember that a lot of complaining over property taxes in Calgary is because people houses are worth twice (or three or four times) as much ast they were a few short years ago (In 2001, average detached home was $180k, now it is ~$500k)!! Which is hilarious! you would rather pay ~$50 less per month but have made $400,000 less in equity??? SMART!~

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Hey I'm not saying nothing got built.

The price of houses is pretty much irrelevant to property taxes. I don't have more equity because my taxes went up. And my taxes didn't go up because I have more equity.

I'd love to know what cities we are a fraction of. I'll guess we are at best about the same. We used to be low, at least in Canada. Are we better served after 8 or 10 years of tax hikes? IMO no.

[Claeren]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

Hey I'm not saying nothing got built.

The price of houses is pretty much irrelevant to property taxes. I don't have more equity because my taxes went up. And my taxes didn't go up because I have more equity.

I'd love to know what cities we are a fraction of. I'll guess we are at best about the same. We used to be low, at least in Canada. Are we better served after 8 or 10 years of tax hikes? IMO no.

Right, all i meant was that if peoples taxes went up more than inflationary amounts it is because their neighbourhood outperformed the rest of the city in price growth and therefore gained more equity.

In terms of property taxes as a percentage of household income Calgary is at/near the bottom of the list, likely around 1% as opposed to some cities at ~2.5% like Winnipeg, Montreal or Quebec City.

Compared to average income tax rates well above 20% it is the least of our problems. Especially since the spending of those tax dollars is probably the most efficient of any of the 3 levels of government.


Claeren.

[Suave]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

Hey I'm not saying nothing got built.

The price of houses is pretty much irrelevant to property taxes. I don't have more equity because my taxes went up. And my taxes didn't go up because I have more equity.

I'd love to know what cities we are a fraction of. I'll guess we are at best about the same. We used to be low, at least in Canada. Are we better served after 8 or 10 years of tax hikes? IMO no.

There is a report on the city of Edmonton website that shows Calgary pays the third lowest property tax in Canada. In Calgary property tax is about 50% lower then cities in Ontario.

http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server...ges+Survey.htm

[Bobblehead]

According to this study by Edmonton (link), Calgary was tied for the 3rd lowest property taxes (with Red Deer) among 35 cities in Canada. Medicine Hat and Surrey were both lower.

Edit: Sauve posted the link first, but he really should embed it.

[Claeren]

And i am guessing they are speaking in absolute terms, which means when you factor in our extremely high average household income it is an even smaller amount comparatively.


Also note that you are complaining about '8 straight years of tax hikes' but that is not true. Property tax, unlike income tax, does not adjust with inflation. So if inflatin is 5%/year income taxes went up 5% last year (assuming your salary is keeping up with inflation) while your property taxes ONLY stayed flat if they were 'raised' by 5%. If the property taxes did not go up then the city is actually CUTTING taxes, not just leaving them flat.

We have not had a property tax increase i know of that greatly outpaced inflation.

Of further concern is that the city itself has a different 'basket of good and services' than the average consumer and has actually faced year over year inflation increases of 2%-5% higher that inflation. The fact that increases have been a fraction of that is a credit to City Hall IMHO.



Claeren.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

..
We're 3rd in property tax on what's considered an average edmonton home.

In holisitc terms we're 16th. Right next to Montreal. Not exactly esteemed company. In fact the edmonton survey gives a pretty good overview.

You're much more generous than I would be with the word 'cutting', but I get the point. Just remember that residential taxes alone are not the whole picture. Just like the example above, if you include all the ways the city dips into your pocket the jump is much bigger.

And even with property taxes alone, that's on top of massive funding jumps from the provice and feds, transfers of responsibility, cost sharing...etc.

I'm not ready to hand out any medals for 'only' hiking my taxes along the lines of inflation when other major revenue streams have been growing well in excess of inflation.