Nickels and dimes can become big bucks.
If you haven’t taken out a calculator and added up some of the costs in your new fiscal reality for 2018, you owe it to yourself to do so.
There’ll be a difference in the change jars of the residents by the Bow and Elbow rivers — residents who have been suffering through an elongated economic downturn the past three years.
But governments don’t seem to heed that reality. Instead, they keep layering on the costs to you, the humble taxpayer.
And as we all know, there is only one humble taxpayer who feeds all levels of government.
Let’s first start with garbage at the City of Calgary (no, we are not trying to be funny.)
Starting in southwest Calgary and rolling out across the quadrants, residents will pay $6.50 monthly for the composting program — or $78 annually.
While the black bin monthly costs will stay the same at $4.90, the blue bin recycling fee will go up 20 cents to $8.50.
Then the cost of taking transit is up. The cost for hopping aboard the CTrain went up 5 cents for youths and adults alike.
Inconsequential you say? Try finding a damned extra nickel in your pocket when you need one (hate to say it, it will be true!)
It’s the cost of transit for our seniors where this really hits home. A seniors’ annual transit pass goes up $40, from $95 to $135.
Rather drive? Calgary Parking Authority will make sure it gets its share with a change to parking rates after a two-year freeze.
Going for a swim, booking ice time, and working out at a city-run rec facility will also cost more.
Oh, and as reported in November, your property taxes are going up an average of $71.40 to fund the municipal portion of the bill.
Then there’s the province.
According to economist Dr. Trevor Tombe of the U of C, the average Alberta household will see bills rise by about $150 this year due to a 50% increase in the carbon tax implemented by the provincial New Democrats.
The increases will result in about 2.24-cents-a-litre hike at the pumps, and a rise in utility bills, moving the carbon levy share from 10% to 15% of the bill.
Those costs will be offset for 60% of households through the province’s rebate program, says Tombe.
The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation argues the carbon levy increase will hurt already struggling businesses, and with rebate threshold set at about $95,000, a whole lot of households will indeed take another financial hit.
The NDs argue the carbon plan has helped push through their pipeline plans. The jury is out on those optics.
And while none of these increases are probably large enough to place a family into true fiscal hardship, governments need reminding that nickels and dimes do matter.
They eventually add up to much bigger bucks.
And it hurts.