A chorus of boos rained down on Vancouver-Point Grey MLA David Eby at a town hall to explain his government’s controversial school surtax on multi-million dollar homes.

“From the NDP’s perspective, homeowners are property tax suckers,” declared one man from the microphone at Jericho Hill Centre on West 4th Avenue.

The town hall was organized by the Point Grey Residents Association and comes on the heels of Eby cancelling a similar event several weeks ago over security concerns.

At the time he said BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson and a group of real estate agents had encouraged people without tickets to attend the event and he didn’t want to put volunteers in a position where they had to turn angry protestors away.

The tax is 0.2 per cent on the value of a home over $3 million and climbs to 0.4 per cent on the value over $4 million.

As an example, on a $3.5 million dollar home, $500,000 will be subject to an additional tax of $1,000 per year.

On a $4.5 million dollar home, the additional tax would total $4,000 per year.

"These prices have gone up because of money-laundering and international crime syndicates bringing funds into the province and inflating values,” said homeowner Robert Schwob as he protested the tax. “And we're all victims of that."

People over 55, and those with kids, including adult children in post-secondary school, can apply to defer the tax until they sell their homes.

But angry homeowners don’t like that option, accusing their MLA of deceiving them during the last election. Some called on him to resign.

“I was elected here with a very significant amount of support because I committed, along with my colleagues in government to dealing with the housing crisis that has affected this community so badly,” Eby said in response to questions about that possibility.

Tempers also flared outside the town hall, where several hundred homeowners had gathered prior to the event getting started.

Counter-protestor Wolfgang Tolkien inserted himself in the middle of the crowd with signs supporting the tax increase.

As those opposed to the tax tried to block his signs, several people toppled over in a heap.

“This is Canada. We have the right to free speech,” said Tolkien. “We can express our opinions and I’m in favour of this tax. I think it’s fair.”

Despite his presence, those at the rally opposed to the tax still outnumbered those in support of it several hundred to one.

"It's insulting that those of us who have worked so hard are now being told that we have to make way for apparently the next generation,” said homeowner Mary Lavin.

The tax goes into effect in 2019.