Vancouver’s city staff is asking council for direction on a target property tax increase in 2008. In a report to be discussed by city council on Tuesday (December 11), staff note that to maintain existing services and programs next year, a tax increase of 4.86 percent will be required.

However, the same report states that the city’s corporate management team has identified new and expanded services that would cost $6.3 million. These added services would bring the property tax increase to 6.12 percent.

Vision Vancouver Councillor Raymond Louie told the Straight that a tax increase should be kept to a minimum in order to ease the financial burden on Vancouver residents. "Over the last two years, taxes for our residential homeowners have gone up by almost 15 percent," Louie said by phone. "I am very concerned that the Non-Partisan Association continues to raise taxes at these phenomenally high rates and there seems to be no control in their spending."

The report stated that giving staff direction on a target does not commit council to a particular level of tax increase.

The public consultation process on next year’s city budget will start after council is presented by staff in February 2008 with interim estimates and options to achieve the tax target.