Winnipeg School Division approves tax hike

WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s largest school division has passed a 2014-15 budget that includes a 3.6 per cent hike in school taxes.

The Winnipeg School Division budget will increase taxes on the average home in the school division by about $40, the school division said. An average division home is worth just over $170,000 on today’s market.

The $374-million budget is an increase of about $8 million over the 2013-14 budget.

In an effort to keep the tax hike down, the division is using reserve funds for three major new spending areas:

• a pilot project that will increase half-day kindergarten to full days in four schools;
• improving Wi-Fi in high schools; and
• installing additional security systems in schools.

“The 2014-15 budget takes the balanced and responsible approach to tackling our fiscal and economic challenges that the vast majority of our families support,” Trustee Cathy Collins, chair of the finance committee, said in a news release.

With 77 schools, the Winnipeg School Division has more students than any other division in Manitoba.

The Seven Oaks School Division also passed a budget with a 3.6 per cent tax hike on Monday; that will cost the average home owner a little more than $60. The River East-Transcona School Division passed a budget with a 2.6 per cent tax increase on March 4.

The Louis Riel School Division’s board will vote on its 2014-15 budget Tuesday at 6 p.m. The St. James-Assiniboia School Division board will also vote Tuesday on their budget; the draft budget proposes a 3.8 per cent increase. Pembina Trails will vote on a tax increase of just under four per cent on Wednesday.