A13% drop in the number of Coquitlam residents willing to accept higher taxes for city services doesn't signal a tax revolt. But it does suggest there could be a tipping point when it comes to paying higher taxes for parks, pools, roads, garbage collection and city planning.
According to the city's annual Ipsos Reid study, released this week, only 45% of Coquitlam residents would absorb higher taxes to avoid service cuts, compared to 58% in 2003, when the survey was first conducted.
Indeed, it's likely many residents in the Tri-Cities - Port Coquitlam and Port Moody included - are wondering whether there should be a limit on tax hikes. This year, taxes rose 3.49% in Coquitlam, 3.56% in PoCo and 5.16% in Port Moody, on top of higher sewer and water rates, higher gas taxes and an inflation rate that is running between 2.7% and 3.7% depending on the month.
The question civic politicians must ask is this: Is there a limit to what the public is willing to pay - and if so, what is it?
What do you say? Are you willing to pay highermunicipal property taxes to avoid cuts to civic services? Vote in our online poll (scroll down, poll is on the left side).
