Dear Editor,

I just wanted to comment on the article [91Ô­´´ City council gives preliminary approval to tax cuts, April 26, 91Ô­´´ Advance Times online] that 91Ô­´´ City council adjusted the tax increase from 6.67 per cent to just under two per cent.

I give them a one-handed applause on this, because further in the article 91Ô­´´ City is still going to penalize residents if they don’t pay their taxes in full by the July 2 deadline.

91Ô­´´ City residents should be so lucky that penalty will be 2 per cent after July – until Oct. 1 – before it increases.

Council needs to get their heads out of the sand.

Why should your residents be penalized at all if they cannot make the July 2 tax deadline.

After all, it is government and city officials who forced a majority of people to stay home and business to shutter.

CAST YOUR VOTE: WEB POLL –Can you pay your property taxes on time?

Step up and do the right thing council.

You should have followed what Surrey is doing.

Allow 90-day extension on taxes and don’t start penalizing anyone until Oct. 3.

At least it could give City residents a chance to get back to work and pay their taxes without getting penalized for something they had no say in the matter.

Robert Leroux, 91Ô­´´ City

PRIOR TO COVID: 91Ô­´´ City residents face 6.98 per cent hike in taxes and utility fees

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