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Lake Country avoids property tax increase for 2016

Lake Country avoids property tax increase for 2016 | iNFOnews.ca
Kamloops continues to see a growth in residential construction this year. Photographer: Jennifer Stahn

KELOWNA – Lake Country stands alone amongst communities in the Okanagan in approving a zero per cent property tax increase.

Lake Country council approved its hold-the-line 2016 budget this week based on a 3.28 per cent increase in property tax revenue due to increased construction of residential and commercial buildings.

Mayor James Baker said in a media release staff looked at the reserve funds and concluded no increase was necessary because of the increased revenue.

B.C. Assessment released the 2016 assessment rolls last week showing Lake Country property assessments up an average 9.12 per cent.

Council also approved spending $4.5 million on various projects, to be financed from reserves which do not affect taxation, including the final phase of water meter installation, upgrade of the Seymour sewer lift station and Carr’s Landing Road improvements.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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