Editor:
Thank you Jim Karras for your letter in the Dec. 12, 2022 Outlook applauding Couns. Ted Christensen and Hugh Pettigrew for their attempts to keep the 2023 Town of Banff tax increase to five per cent.
My own 2023 budget already includes a condo fee increase of eight per cent – $30 more per month over 2022 – due mostly to increased insurance costs, which will probably increase my car and homeowners insurance as well.
My condo is valued at considerably more than the “average residential dwelling” assessment of $467,100, which means my property tax will probably be closer to double the estimated increase of $120 for the year. And like everyone else in Canada, I am faced with 10 -15 per cent inflation for everything needed for daily living.
My 2023 budget does not include a 5.4 per cent cost-of-living increase or any part of the “third party recommended” $821,336 to bring Town employees back up to other comparable locations, or any other automatically indexed government or union pay raises.
I have had several conversations with both Couns. Christensen and Pettigrew, and I feel that they are the only councillors who share my concerns regarding how seniors and retirees on fixed incomes and those in the lower pay rates will cope.
Les Young,
Banff
