Winnipeg School Division floats idea of 2.9% property tax hike

Manitoba's largest school division is proposing hiking property taxes by 2.9 per cent for the 2019-2020 school year as a means of filling a hole in provincial funding.

The Winnipeg School Division said Tuesday public school funding for the division dropped by 0.1 per cent, or $202,963, in 2018-19.  A "special requirement increase" of three per cent would help the division make up that loss, which is why WSD is floating the idea in its draft budget for the coming school year.

If approved, the increase would work out to a $41 jump in annual property taxes for the average home in the division with an appraised value of $214,000, according to WSD.

Division trustees approved a budget increase last spring that effectively translated to a $45-per-household increase.

Division cost increases have continued due to inflation on a variety of list items such as Canada Pension Plan, payroll taxes and insurance. If the special requirement increase were approved and implemented, the division estimates it would bring its total budget for next year to just under $417 million. Its 2018-19 budget was about $410 million.

The division wants to put some of that budget toward implementing a series of accessibility improvements, including boosting supports for those with autism and hearing challenges, as well as upgrades to kindergarten classrooms.

The draft budget also earmarked about $318,000 for accountability measures aimed at gleaning data-driven insights from monitoring and developing student performance.

"The board has identified accountability and accessibility needs to be addressed in this budget," WSD board finance chair Lisa Naylor said in a statement. 

"We are consulting the public on enhancements in those areas, as well as looking closely at existing programs and services for possible cost savings."

The division planned to hold community budget consultations on Tuesday and Thursday, as well as Feb. 19 and Feb. 20. More information on meeting locations is available on the WSD website.