In response to those recently appealing for more positive perspective on the municipal tax front, here are two thoughts to cheer you up:
On the one hand, by my calculations Oak Bay residents are now (even after the five per cent hike) paying municipal tax of 0.43 per cent of assessed value, against Victoria’s 0.44 per cent – whereas Oak Bay’s low density, small population and bounty of parks should surely mean less economies of scale and, if anything, a higher rate.
Secondly, municipal taxpayers incensed at the $800,000-plus arrears of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel will be pleased to hear that whilst jogging past the hotel the other day, I saw an Oak Bay Police car parked out front. Perhaps the officers were inside letting the hotel management know of the problems that could be faced due to underpolicing of the area because of tax shortfalls.
Samuel Mercer
Oak Bay