The preliminary tax increase for next year’s budget in Kamloops is currently at 4.89 per cent.

That would be the highest tax increase in recent history, coming after the lowest tax increase in several decades last year at 0.93 per cent. The average tax increase in the past 11 years for Kamloops has been just over two per cent.

Kamloops mayor Ken Christian says council will look to cut costs where possible, before the budget is set in March.

“There are two elements at work here. First of all, we have the increases that we would expect to see in a normal budget. But we have had a phenomenal increase in the average house price in Kamloops. And that’s going to reflect in your assessment, so people are going to see a larger value and they’re being taxed on that value.”

Inflation and rising operating costs will add almost $7 million to next year’s budget, including $2.57 million extra for policing costs.

A public budget meeting will be happening on Monday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the NorKam Mechanical Lounge at the Sandman Centre.