The news hit the street and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas hit the roof.

Late last week we find out what the Alberta government led by Premier Danielle Smith has in store for Calgary property taxpayers this year.

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For the typical single-family home the Smith government is hiking the property tax by $339 a year.

For some the increase will be smaller, for some even larger.

Immediately, some Calgarians are confused. Did I say the Smith government is increasing property taxes? How is that possible? They aren’t city hall.

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I find it hard to believe some Calgarians still do not know they pay property taxes to both city hall and the Alberta government.

Calgarians, most of what you pay on your property tax bill is set by city hall, but part of what you pay is set by the Alberta government.

So, this year, on the Smith government side of the property tax bill it is a whopping $339-a-year hike for the typical single-family home. On the city hall side of the bill it is just $49.

Farkas says the province’s property tax hike is massive and very tough to swallow in one ugly gulp, calling it the largest jump in property taxes in Calgary’s history.

A fire is finally lit under Farkas, the one-time firebrand councillor who promised to put us to sleep as mayor.

Fed-up Farkas says the Smith government should realize the lion’s share of Calgary’s population growth and economic growth has been in Calgary.

The mayor says for too long Calgarians have assumed the yearly hike in property taxes is all about city council and nothing to do with the provincial government.

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Farkas says he wants to be crystal clear with Calgarians about who is responsible for the big tax increase. He points to Smith.

The Calgary mayor is not done. He even mentions the E-word. Equalization.

Farkas wants the Smith government to show Calgarians what they are getting for the tax hike.

“What is the purpose of this tax increase? Where is the money going? How does it improve our city?

“Otherwise property taxes are being jacked up on Calgarians and being spent elsewhere. We are just seeing another version of equalization like Alberta being taken advantage of in Confederation.

“I have to push back.”

Nate Horner is Smith’s budget boss who revealed last week the Alberta government’s finances are in a sea of red ink, spending more dollars than what is being collected, with oil prices low and a surge of people who came to the province wanting services.

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Horner defends the provincial property tax hike, sometimes known as the education portion of the property tax.

“It’s just not Calgary that’s going to feel it, obviously,” says the Alberta budget boss.

“We are in a place right now where we have education costs certainly on the rise as we try to catch up with the population growth. I’m sure the mayor wants to see all the schools we need to build in Calgary come to fruition.”

Horner does not try to put sugar on a $339 property tax hike.

“I understand everyone is paying. This is something we need to do. We said it last year. This shouldn’t be a surprise. I know the mayor is new but they knew this was coming.”

Farkas and city council are holding a gabfest Wednesday to talk about the province’s tax increase.

There is a desire at city hall to make it clear on individual property tax bills how much cash the city is taking in property taxes and how much will be going to the provincial government.

Horner has no problem making the tax arithmetic obvious.

“I encourage them to do that if that’s what they’re worried about. I’m not trying to hide from that.”

Couldn’t help but wonder where Dan McLean, the pull-no-punches councillor, stands on this issue.

McLean is no fan of tax hikes though he doesn’t believe there should be a special council chinwag to jaw over this tax hike.

He says it just looks like politicians wanting to perform a little political theatre.

The councillor says the Smith government is forking out more funds from such things as schools and health care.

McLean does wish there was more fiscal responsibility in the province’s budget.

Does he believe conservative-minded voters in Calgary will be angry at the $339 tax hike?

These are the Calgary voters Smith needs come next year’s Alberta election.

McLean admits there will be people upset but then they will consider their options.

“With the NDP and their leader Naheed Nenshi holding the pen it would be way worse.”

So the showdown is on.

Farkas has said he wants to make Calgary city hall boring again.

© Calgary Herald