After agreeing to delay a decision on a proposed 4.35 per cent tax increase for a month, a majority of 91原创 City council approved it at their Monday, March 7 meeting.

Councillor Paul Albrecht, who had proposed the month-long postponement, said it gave council time to gather more information and get 鈥渟ome clarity.鈥�

Mayor Val van den Broek wanted to delay several proposed staff additions, including an environmental sustainability coordinator, to get the average tax hike down to 3.08 per cent.

鈥淥ur citizens are suffering,鈥� van den Broek said.

That didn鈥檛 find support from most members of council, and neither did a proposal by Councillor Rudy Storteboom to eliminate the coordinator position.

READ ALSO: 91原创 City council delays decision on tax increase

Coun. Rosemary Wallace argued for the environmental coordinator at a time when climate change is creating extreme weather.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a global crisis,鈥� Wallace commented. 鈥淲e鈥檙e already behind [in establishing this position].鈥�

Coun. Nathan Pachal was against postponements, saying 鈥渢he longer we wait, the more it鈥檚 going to cost.鈥�

Coun. Teri James said 鈥渨e owe it to our community and to our staff鈥� to ensure adequate resources are in place.

Coun. Albrecht estimated the sustainability coordinator would add about $10 a year to the average tax bill.

鈥淭his is something that we need to do,鈥� Albrecht said, adding 鈥淚 guess this is the political silly season.鈥�

Van den Broek called Albrecht鈥檚 comments 鈥渋rrelevant.鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not political silliness, that鈥檚 actually listening to citizens that can鈥檛 afford it,鈥� van den Broek said.

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At the close of debate, van den Broek and councillors Gayle Martin and Storteboom could not convince the rest of council to roll back tax increases that would add $349 to levy paid by an average 91原创 City family detached home.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just too hard on people,鈥� Martin commented.

Under B.C. law, municipalities can only have one tax rate for all residential class properties, and the assessed value of single family homes went up 38 per cent while multi-family homes increased half as much at 19 per cent. 91原创 City has been campaigning for separate rates for years.

While taxes on an average 91原创 City family detached home will go up, an average multiple unit residential assessment will go down $4.

鈥淚 lay this at the feet of the provincial government,鈥� Storteboom remarked.

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The plan will come back to council for final approval at their Monday, March 21 meeting.