Letters: Saskatoon city hall must be clear on property tax hikes

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The City of Saskatoon tries to pride itself in keeping property taxes low. Some of this “low increase” comes from pushing costs onto utility bills, an extra $225/year minimum for the various coloured bins.

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Aside from that, they also proclaimed that were limiting the 2025 budget increase to 4.96 per cent. That number would be applied to all property tax base amounts from 2024.

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As it was a reassessment year, they also recalculated your property value and based on that reassessment you could determine what your new tax base was for 2024 from the “revenue neutral” value on your tax statement.

You find it by subtracting the education tax and library tax from the revenue neutral value given on the tax statement. Those two taxes are not under the city’s control and thus not part of the revenue neutral municipal tax.

In my case, the revenue neutral municipal tax on my property came out to $1,779, down from the $1,840 that I actually paid last year. This is because my property reassessment only increased by 11 per cent which was less that the average increase of 13 per cent. My 2025 charges for municipal property tax are $1,909.

This represents an increase of 7.26 per cent relative to the starting value of $1,779 … a large increase from the much hyped 4.96 per cent. My case is not an anomaly. The actual dollar values will differ for others, but the percentage increase (before phase-in charges) should be the same.

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When will we get fiscal clarity from the city in its dealings with us taxpayers?

Grant Mills, Saskatoon

Individualism favoured over community

Driven by an abandonment of all authority including governments, legal and church, many individuals today are seeking independence in a form of individualism that declares they and they alone know what is right or best for them. Further, they see this move to individualism as being in their own best self-interest.

Along with this growing trend is a strong feeling of being left out or ignored by mostly young white males, which leads them to joining a white supremacy movement we refer to as the radical right movement.

Evidence that this line of thinking leading to group action is brought to light by the newly formed Alberta Republican Party. The paradox is that these defenders of individual rights over public or community rights are seeking to put in place their view of public policy by forming a group.

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The danger, as I see it, is that the group they want to be part of and want you to be part of is, in effect, single minded. They have no interest in inclusivity, in multiculturalism, multi faith or anything that suggests complexity. They see little or no value in diversity and equal justice and opportunity for all.

They seem to reject all that teams playing a wide range of sports — playing as a team — teaches us about achievement, success, co-operation and feeling good about yourself.

Saskatchewan’s Federated Co-operatives Ltd. and credit unions are another example of a more productive and acceptable alternative way for us to live together. We are stronger together!

Don Barss, Saskatoon

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