City of Calgary’s 2018 budget: by the numbers

The 2018 budget was passed by council on Thursday afternoon following four days of debate. Here are some of the highlights: 3.8%:

The percentage increase taxpayers will be on the hook for in 2018 on the municipal portion of their property tax bill. $5.95:

The extra amount per month the average homeowner will pay in 2018 thanks to the 3.8 per cent property tax hike. $460,000:

The assessed single residential property value that is meant by “average.” If your home is assessed at higher than average, you’ll be on the hook for more than $5.95 per month. $20.8

million: The amount of money approved for the Calgary Police Service, including $14.3 million to hire new officers and fund body-worn cameras. 27:

The number of bus routes that would have seen service cuts had council not approved stepping in with $4 million to reverse some of the cuts.

4:

The number of days it took council to approve the 2018 budget. 1:

The number of days it took council to unanimously approve the 2017 budget, which included a tax freeze in an election year. 11:

The number of councillors who voted in favour of the 2018 operating budget. Joe Magliocca, Ward Sutherland, George Chahal and Jeromy Farkas opposed it. 156:

The number of full-time equivalent positions eliminated next year at the city under the 2018 budget. $45

million: The amount of money council voted to take from the rainy-day fund to extend a program that softens the blow for businesses hit by large nonresidential property tax increases. $23.7

million: The amount of so-called tax room left by the province. The city voted 13-2 to take it, to fund debt servicing costs for the multibillion-dollar Green Line LRT.