Taxes are on the increase in Mountain View County after councillors passed the 2013 tax rate bylaw and the 2013 operational budget during last week's regularly scheduled council meeting.
The tax rate bylaw calls for a 1.5 per cent increase for residential, farmland, commercial/industrial, machinery/equipment, and linear.
The increase will generate an additional $580,000 for the county compared to a zero per cent increase.
Reeve Bruce Beattie says the increase was necessary so that the county can build up reserves to cover bridge and other costs.
“We feel that it is prudent,” said Beattie. “It is a reasonable approach and we will be able to put money into reserves. If we have specific projects that come up through the years, we can now deal with those. It's important to have some reserves.
“We want to prepare for those capital investments we may have to make in the future. We want to build reserves to plan for the future. We've also recognized the need for increased services that constituents are asking for, particularly in the area of roads. We need to make sure we have the funds for that.”
The residential tax rate – including school requisition, Mountain View Seniors' Housing and Mountain View Regional Waste – in 2013 is 5.47. The rate in 2012 was 5.13.
On the farmland side the rate is 10.28, compared with 10.13 in 2012. The commercial, machinery/industrial, and linear rate is 13.45, compared with13.57 last year.
A tax bill can be calculated by multiplying the tax rate by 1,000 and dividing the total by the assessment. For example, a residential property assessed at $200,000 will have a tax bill $2,735.
The county's total estimated municipal expenditures in 2013 will be $21,301,500, with $16,228,550 raised by general municipal taxation.
Councillors also passed the 2013 operating budget on April 10.
It calls for an increase in overall expenses of $2 million, with increases including $200,000 for road blading; $110,000 for snow removal; $130,000 for vegetation control; $834,00 to support fire equipment purchases; $120,000 for salaries and wages; and $245,000 in related requisition increases.
Councillors passed the 2013 capital budget in January. It includes $7.5 million for the Acme Road reconstruction, $1.3 million for paving on Rge. Rd. 43, and $2.6 million for local road projects.
