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Every spring, property tax season brings the same wave of confusion, and Parksville City Councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood are digging into it head-on in this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks. Using the City of Parksville as a case study, they break down why a single property tax bill is actually a bundle of separate charges from multiple levels of government - the city, the regional district, the regional hospital district, the school tax, the library board, and BC Assessment - all rolled into one invoice.

Joel and Sean tackle the question they hear constantly: if the City of Parksville raised taxes 5.8% this year, why did some residents see their total bill jump 12 or 13%? The answer, they explain, comes down to how each of those other agencies sets its own rate independently, and how BC Assessment values shift the share each homeowner pays. A bigger jump in your property's assessed value compared to your neighbours can mean a bigger slice of the tax bill, even if the municipal rate barely moves.

The conversation also covers the BC homeowner grant, which hasn't kept pace with rising costs since it was introduced decades ago, the property tax deferral program and its recently increased interest rate, and the ongoing debate over taxing property value versus income. Joel and Sean close with practical advice: if your tax bill feels out of step with what you expected, appealing your assessment is an option, but sitting down for a coffee with your local councillor or mayor may be the more useful first step to understanding exactly where your money goes.

Listen for:

• Why your property tax bill bundles charges from the city, regional district, hospital district, school tax, library board, and BC Assessment into one invoice

• How BC Assessment values, not just the municipal tax rate, determine how much of the total bill lands on your property

• What the homeowner grant, the tax deferral program, and a coffee with your local councillor can (and can't) do to ease the pinch

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