Langford is planning to cut its property taxes this year.
Councillors gave their blessing Monday to a budget that forecasts taxes going down this year 0.23 per cent -or about $2 for the average homeowner.
"I'm just trying to send a statement to the taxpayers that we understand there's a recession and it's difficult times, and government shouldn't be spending more money than they bring in. I can't go out and tell people that if we don't do it ourselves," Mayor Stew Young said.
The budget doesn't mean the municipality is putting a halt to all improvements. On the contrary, it calls for considerable capital spending. Young anticipates beginning work on the southern connection on the Spencer Road interchange, though the municipality's five-year financial plan doesn't foresee doing the bulk of the interchange work until 2012 .
A Langford homeowner paid $897 in municipal taxes in 2010 on the average home assessed at $404,950. The average value of a Langford home in 2011 has increased to $421,600.
Adoption of the financial plan Monday means that the typical Langford homeowner will pay $895 in 2011, for an average decrease of $2.
