Property taxes in Vancouver will likely go up by an average of four per cent this coming fiscal year, according to preliminary budget figures presented to city council on Tuesday.

Non-Partisan Association Coun. Suzanne Anton said there will have to be cuts to some city services to ensure the increase doesn't exceed four per cent.

She also warns that the increase for homeowners may go a bit higher, if council decides to shift some of the tax load off businesses.

"There was an issue that commercial taxpayers pay far more than residential taxpayers. We may try and shift some of that so in fact the final residential tax bill may turn out to be more than four per cent, although, the overall bill for the city as a whole will be four per cent."

City staff are also recommending no tax dollars be put into the Olympic Legacy Fund, and that council find money for the fund from other sources. The cost of the proposed fund would be $5 million annually over the next four years.
 
Vision Vancouver Coun. Heather Deal said the budget is tight because of Mayor Sam Sullivan's personal initiatives.

"EcoDensity right now is a lot of money for advertising our current policies that may change as staff comes up with some new programs. But we're also looking at things such as Civil City.

"The staff did not come out and say we need the Civil City initiative, and it's a pretty expensive program with nothing in the budget to cover it. So other things get cut."

Deal says budget cuts will affect departments such as the sustainability office and the Park Board.

A final budget report for the 2007-2008 fiscal year will be presented to city council in March.