Sechelt residents will pay a bit more for general taxes and user fees this year as a result of bylaws passed recently.
On May 8 council gave final reading to a 2.9 per cent general municipal tax rate that will see most residents pay 1.2 per cent more this year, chief financial officer Victor Mema said.
"The average home has decreased in value by 2.5 per cent, so the tax increase to be experienced by the average home will be about 1.2 per cent," he explained.
That's lower than what councillors were looking at previously. In April council said they wanted to see taxpayers give 1.5 per cent more to the municipality this year.
The Sechelt tax rate is just a portion of what homeowners in Sechelt will pay, however. When added to taxes being levied by the hospital, regional district, fire department and school district, Sechelt residents can expect to pay a total tax rate of 7.1 per cent per $1,000 of taxable assessed value in 2013.
Last year's total tax rate was 6.8 per cent.
In "dollar terms" Mema said residents with a home assessed at $400,000 in 2012 will likely pay $30 more in taxes this year.
Sechelt residents will also be paying a bit more for garbage collection and sewer user fees in 2013.
Sechelt council upped sewer user fees by two per cent this year and garbage collection fees by five per cent.
Originally council was looking at a two per cent increase for garbage fees, but the 25 per cent increase in dumping fees being imposed this fall by the Sunshine Coast Regional District caused them to up the price to recoup some costs.
The change means residents will pay $8.30 more annually for garbage fees and $7 more for sewer user fees.
Tax notices will be mailed out on May 31 and must be paid before July 1.
