Kelowna council approves smaller property tax increase than expected

KELOWNA – Councillors in Kelowna have approved a smaller tax increase than originally proposed in the fall.

Instead of 3.6 per cent, Kelowna property owners will pay a 2.99 per cent, the lowest increase since 2014.

The reduction was made possible by additional revenue from city investments and new construction, according to finance staff.

That includes $2.6 million from new construction tax revenues. Total construction revenues are $722 million, an increase of 17.2 per cent from 2017.

An additional $627,000 came from an increase in expected revenue from Fortis B.C. franchise fees.

Total taxation will amount to $133 million.

To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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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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