by Taxes are going up in the Regional Municipality.
Regional Council has narrowly passed a motion to raise taxes as part of an effort to address a $4.2 million shortfall in the initial draft budget.
Councillors have voted 7-6 in favour of a tax increase of 3.5 percent.
During a spirited debate today, some councillors said the municipality is now in a position where it has to raise taxes.
Among them was Councillor Steve Gillespie, who notes the province is downloading costs for J-class roads.
Gillespie says the municipality has to choice but to raise taxes as it faces even more financial challenges.
A number of councillors weighed in on the other side of the debate, including Councillor Gordon MacDonald, who says people can’t afford a tax increase, especially in the face of other costs like the coming federal carbon tax.
Options presented by staff to Council included raising taxes by between 2 and 5 percent, bringing in a tipping fee for all vehicles at the Sydney landfill, restructuring transit area rates and deferring new staffing requests.