A Calgary community group will receive a 33 per cent reduction in its 2012 property tax bill for a leased campground in Water Valley, Mountain View County council decided last week.The non-profit Thorncliffe Greenview Community Association was on the hook for about $5,000 after losing its exemption under the province's Community Organization Property Tax Exemption Regulation.The tax-break amount of 33 per cent was proposed by Reeve Bruce Beattie and was accepted by Div. 7 Coun. Al Kemmere as a “friendly amendment” to his motion for the county to reduce the group's tax bill by 50 per cent.“I would suggest 33 per cent is a reasonable amount,” Beattie (Div. 4) said. “I think it's a significant reduction and I would look forward to them working with community groups and I'd like us to look at it next year. I think it's a fair compromise.”At issue was whether the association had changed its policies to adequately open up the campground to Mountain View County youth groups.The association has committed to inviting scout groups from the area to use the facility, but preference would still be given to the 58th Thorncliffe Scouts. And with no mention of other county youth groups being included, the association's written commitment “seems very limited,” said Div. 2 Coun. Trish McKean, who added that she favoured a partial reduction in taxes because the 32 acres of Crown land was being assessed at a residential rate.Thorncliffe public services director Marvin Quashnick said the association has had discussions with three scout groups from the county and “there was a lot of interest” expressed by them in using the facility. It also planned to advertise the availability of the campground to youth organizations in the area and contact community halls within the county, he said.Quashnick said the association “tried to create a hierarchy where scout groups would be given higher priority,” but conceded that “the bulk of it is still used by private members.”CAO Tony Martens said administration would support a partial exemption.“Generally speaking we would support some form of tax reduction for youth groups … but we question it for community groups,” Martens said.“I can't support the motion because it doesn't move away from it being a private campground for residents of another community,” Div. 1 Coun. Kevin Good said.However, Good voted alongside the rest of council in favour of the motion after Beattie lowered the amount of the reduction to 33 per cent, or about $165,000.Kemmere's motion also specified that the association provide “clear documentation” for the next tax year on the use of the property by county youth groups.Meanwhile, the Thorncliffe association will still have the opportunity to appeal its assessment. The deadline for filing assessment appeals is July 9.
