Administration at city hall is recommending city council stick with a property tax increase next year of 6.1 per cent.
That would add an average of $95 to the city portion of the typical homeowner’s tax bill.
But Councillor Andre Chabot says that figure could be substantially reduced without cutting services, if council would agree to return the $52 million from the province next year to taxpayers.
“If it is strictly 6.1 percent minus the $52 million, then theoretically we should be able to get it down to 2.1 per cent.”
Chabot says with approval of some additional expenditures likely, that figure would probably be closer to 3 per cent.
Administrators recommend council keep the extra $52 million to help offset the growing tab for flood repairs.
The City estimates the cost of flood recovery at $445 million, $21 million more than it had initially predicted.
However, Chabot says the city could dip into its rainy day fund, which contains around $300 million, to cover much of the flood costs.
The detailed budget for 2014 was released on Thursday.
Council will begin budget deliberations on November 25th.
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