Proposed 3.8% tax hike up for debate at Regina City Hall

There'll be lots of discussion tonight about the Regina budget and the proposed property tax hike of 3.8per cent.

A dozen delegations will be speaking at a special meeting of City Council to pass the 2016 budget.

If the tax hike gets the green light,the owner of a typical home worth $300,000 will pay $2,554in civic taxesnext year an increase of about $95.50.

Theoperating budgetis $418.8 million (up$21.4 million from 2015) while the capital budgetis $68.9 million (up$4.1 million from 2015).

The 3.8 per cent hikeis actually 0.1 percentage points lower than what city officials proposed on November 13. According to city documents, it turns out the paratransitprogram willcost$230,786 less than originally expected due to some funding changes.

In addition to tax increases, there are a variety of other hikes that will hit Regina property owners in the pocketbook.

For example, water utilityrates are going up six per cent, which works out to about $100 a yearfor a typical four-person family with a dishwasher, two bathroomsand a washing machine.