VIDEO: Protesters angered by 11.94% Langford tax hike rally outside city hall

A group of Langford residents angered by the proposed 11.94 per cent tax hike protested outside Langford City Hall on Tuesday (April 11) evening.

A committee of the whole meeting had been scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, but was cancelled due to Mayor Scott Goodmanson falling ill.

The meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday (April 18) at 7 p.m. It’s one of four such meetings that’s been held as council seeks public input on its budget, which has proven to be highly contentious over the size of the tax hike proposed.

READ MORE: Langford draft budget includes 11.94% tax hike, but could change

“Given the importance of having a fulsome discussion and debate of the proposed 2023-2027 Five-Year Financial Plan, the meeting is being rescheduled so all members of the Committee are available to participate. This postponement does not impact the overall timeline and process,” the City of Langford wrote in a statement.

Protesters gathered down the road at 847 Goldstream Ave. and marched the short distance to city hall, holding picket signs and chanting, “Lower the tax, don’t break our backs.” There were chants and a couple of speakers before the crowd disbanded a few minutes later.

This year’s budget has coincided with a number of costly expenditures coming due, including new firefighters, police officers and doubling the subsidy sent to the financially struggling YMCA-YWCA Westhills.

To get to the 11.94 per cent hike, $1.7 million in reserves were used to cut taxes, a commonly used tactic by previous mayor and council to lower increases, but something that isn’t sustainable moving forward, according to a presentation given by Michael Dillabaugh, director of the finance department, during a March 27 committee of the whole meeting.

Not included in that 11.94 per cent was proposed funding for the purchase of the YMCA-YWCA Westhills facility, the design phase of the new RCMP detachment and ongoing capital asset management, which are also up for consideration.

One option to pay for all three would mean an additional 3.5 per cent tax increase for each year from 2024 to 2027, plus a one per cent increase for 2023 added to the 11.94 per cent.

The next chance for public input on the budget will be on April 17, with the committee of the whole meeting scheduled for noon.

Council will consider the first, second and third readings of the bylaws on May 8 at 7 p.m. Council will then consider adoption of the bylaws on May 11 at 7 p.m. ahead of the provincial deadline for municipalities to pass their budgets, which is on May 15.

READ MORE: ‘Is that a threat?’ Heated moments at Langford council meeting include resident being told to leave