RDN Tax Cap Petition

PETITION

PETITION TO THE FOLLOWING: The Chair and Directors of the Regional District of

Nanaimo (RDN)

WE, the undersigned residents, property owners, and taxpayers of the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), hereby petition the RDN Board to take immediate steps to implement a permanent cap on annual property tax increases.

WHEREAS, over the past several years, property tax increases within the RDN have significantly outpaced both the rate of inflation and average wage growth. The RDN’s 5 Year Plan calls for an increase of 65% over the next 5 years, a rate more than six times that of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), creating unsustainable financial pressure on residents, families, seniors, and small businesses.

We believe this trend is unacceptable and inequitable. Responsible fiscal governance must reflect the economic realities faced by the citizens it serves. We are calling for a return to Sustainable Fiscal Balance.

THEREFORE, we respectfully request that the Regional District of Nanaimo adopt and implement a Property Taxation Cap Formula policy whereby:

Annual property tax increases shall not exceed the rate of increase in the Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus the percentage growth in the RDN’s overall property tax base for the previous fiscal year.
This policy would allow for fair and predictable tax increases while ensuring that the RDN does not outpace residents’ ability to pay. Further it creates an overall budget planning ceiling to govern the rate of spending by each department within the RDN. Exceptions, if any, should only be made through a voter-approved referendum.

PETITIONING ORGANIZATION: RDN Taxpayers Alliance.