Calgary city council approved the city’s budget on Monday afternoon.
After six days of debate, council lowered the projected property tax increase of 4.7 per cent to 4.5 per cent in 2015.
It shaves off 35 cents-a-month and $4.20-a-year on the projected average property tax bill.
The new numbers mean Calgarians will see an average increase of $71.40 in 2015 on a $430,000 median home assessment.
A 4.7 per cent increase will follow annually for the next three of the four years in this budget.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi called the city’s “Action Plan” for 2015 – 2018 a “lean budget for a growing city”.
There will be $5-million-enhancements to snow and ice control in 2015 and 2016 from the fiscal stability reserve.
User rates for low-income transit passes will be frozen for 2015.
Other highlights include one-time funding for river flood mitigation of $800,000 in 2015 and $750,000 in 2016, as well as an operating increase of $1.1 million.
Tree disaster recovery also received one-time funding of $35 million from the fiscal stability reserve.
The city will report to council on the budget at mid-year and year-end.
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