Police in Durham Region are proposing a long-term funding plan that could push the region's total overall property tax increase above 10 per cent next year. If approved, estimates show total property taxes for Durham Region could rise between 9.02 per cent to 10.52 per cent in 2027.
The Durham Regional Police Services' 10-year financing strategy, created in collaboration with the region's department of finance, would see taxpayers face annual increases in property taxes until 2036. The suggested increase for police funds peaks at 4.62 per cent in 2027, which amounts to roughly $173 per year, according to Nicole Pincombe, the region's commissioner of finance. The police portion of the annual property tax would then decrease each year after 2027, reaching 2.01 per cent in 2036.
Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira said the property tax increase will allow the service to hire enough members to support the region's needs and make overdue upgrades to aging and unsafe facilities. "Our needs were 10 years ago," Moreira said.
However, some councillors have expressed concerns about the impact on residents. Coun. Sterling Lee told CBC News he is "wrestling [with] how to justify" the proposed increases, noting that "property taxes have become unsustainable" across Ajax and Durham Region.
