One of the many reasons I'm running for London City Council is simple: I don't want Londoners facing another 26.9% property tax increase over the next four years.;
As President of the Old South Business Association, I'm inspired every day by small business owners who work incredibly hard to operate within tight budgets while still delivering exceptional products and services to their customers.
Why shouldn't we expect the same from City Hall?
Families and businesses have to live within their means. The City of London should too.
I understand that costs go up. Inflation affects everything from fuel to wages to the cost of delivering city services. Property tax increases at or below inflation are a reasonable goal. But increases significantly above inflation should demand serious scrutiny and justification.
And when we're talking about a 26.9% tax increase over four years, alongside reports of annual budget surpluses averaging more than $20 million, I believe Londoners have every right to question how their money is being managed.
City Hall needs to treat every dollar like it's their own. Question every expense, make sure we're getting value for what we're spending, and stop spending beyond our means. Because at the end of the day, it's not City Hall's money. It's Londoners' hard earned money, and every dollar needs to be spent wisely.
↓↓↓ WHY THESE INCREASES ARE HURTING LONDONSERS ↓↓↓
WE'RE IN AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS
The cost of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, and just about everything else has gone up. Many Londoners are already struggling to keep up.
The City of London should be doing everything it can to make life more affordable, not adding to the financial pressure.
When property taxes rise significantly faster than inflation, the City is making an already difficult situation even worse.
City Hall should be part of the solution, not part of the affordability problem.
WHAT ABOUT RETIREES LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES?
Both of my parents are retired and living on fixed incomes, like so many Londoners.
Many that are retired can't necessarily just go out and earn more money to cover rising expenses. Your pension or retirement savings have to stretch further every year.
Imagine having worked your entire life, paid off your home, and planned carefully for retirement, only to face property tax increases that significantly outpace inflation.
People shouldn't have to worry about being priced out of the homes they've worked their whole lives to afford.
WE'RE MAKING IT HARDER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO GET AHEAD
About young people, couples, and families just starting out...
Housing prices are already incredibly high. Mortgage payments, interest rates, insurance, groceries, and utilities are stretching household budgets to their limits.
Now add property tax increases well above inflation.
For someone who has just purchased their first car and home, every dollar matters. We should be making it easier for people to build a future in London, not making homeownership even less attainable.
London should be a city where people can afford to start their lives and build their futures.
RENTERS ARE AFFECTED BY PROPERTY TAXES TOO
It's easy to think property tax increases only affect homeowners. But renters can feel the impact too.
Landlords pay property taxes, and those costs can influence the rents they charge.
That means rising property taxes can contribute to higher housing costs for people who don't even own property.
Whether you own your home or rent, affordability matters.
