Hundreds gather in Osoyoos for town hall meeting over tax hike
Global News
“If this continues the way it’s planned, there’s no way I can afford my home and my business,” Allison Laranjo told the assembly on Wednesday night.
Hundreds gathered in Osoyoos, B.C., on Wednesday night to voice opinions over an unpopular tax hike.
In late October, town council green-lit the community’s 2024 budget, including a near 40-per cent jump in property taxes.
At Wednesday’s citizen’s town hall meeting, tensions were high, though council had earlier explained they need more funds to tackle major infrastructure projects.
Meeting organizer J.F. Launier got the meeting ball rolling with the introduction of a committee and its goal to pressure council to amend the already-approved budget.
Local business owners on the committee told meeting attendees the tax hike would force them out of their beloved town.
“If this continues the way it’s planned, there’s no way I can afford my home and my business,” said Allison Laranjo.
One after another, frustrated residents stepped up to the microphone, infuriated by the 39.3-per cent tax hike amidst rapidly crumbling infrastructure in the town.
Councillor Johnny Cheong, the only current member to show up to last night’s meeting, went back nearly a decade, when property taxes inched up by just 1.82 per cent in 2015 and 1.97 per cent in 2016.
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