City passes $13.4B operating budget including 2.55% property tax hike
Posted March 7, 2019 1:02 pm.
Last Updated March 7, 2019 11:33 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto city council overwhelmingly approved a $13.4-billion operating budget for 2019 which includes a 2.55 per cent property tax hike.
With the annual levy for the mayor’s previously approved city building funds factored in, the property tax increase comes in at 3.58 per cent, which will amount to around $104 more per year for the average household in Toronto, totaling around $4.3 billion this year.
As CityNews reporter Mark McAllister reported from city hall, some councillors argued for larger increases to help pay for crucial services in their respective wards.
“Council approved a responsible #BudgetTO that preserves and invests in City services while keeping the property tax increase at the rate of inflation,” Mayor John Tory said in a late night tweet.
“This budget ensures we will have more recreation spaces for families, more youth hubs, more police officers, and more improvements to TTC service.”
The budget includes a three per cent increase in the water rate, 2.2 per cent increase in garbage collection rates, a 10 cent hike in TTC fares and a $30-million increase in the police budget.
One of the many motions that went down to defeat included councillor Mike Layton’s attempt to reintroduce a $60 vehicle registration tax.
