MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – Mountain View County council has approved a slight municipal residential rate increase for 2020-2021. The move came by way of motion at the April 22 regularly scheduled council meeting, during which the 2020 budget was also passed.
The 2020-2021 residential tax rate is 2.9629, with a tax levy of $6,800,292 on an assessment of $2,295,147,430. Last year’s rate was 2.90 with a tax levy of $6,732,408.
The new farmland tax rate is 8.3329, with a total tax levy of $1,319,355 on a total assessment of $158,330,880. Last year’s rate was 8.27, with a total tax levy of $1,310,170.
By way of example, the tax bill on a residence assessed at $500,000 can be calculated by dividing 500,000 by 1,000 and multiplying the total by the 2.9629 rate.
Reeve Bruce Beattie calls the new rates prudent in light of current pressures.
“Assessment is generally down a bit so there should be a minimal tax increases for anyone, I should think,” said Beattie. “We tried to stay as close as possible between zero to one per cent. Council wanted to maintain our service levels, particularly on the roads.
“Some of them (tax rates) are up a very small amount but we have to collect the $284,000 for the province for provincial policing. We are showing that separately on the tax notices because we know that is going to go up over the next three years.”
The county has allowed for $5 million in non-collectable taxes because of the “collapse of the oil and gas industry,” he said.
“We know that if they don’t pay them we have no way to collect it so we’ve added that in as a bad debt expense,” he said.
The total amount to be raised by general municipal taxation in 2020-2021 is $29,573,156, compared with $29,769,933 in 2019.
The estimated amount required for current year capital expenditures is $26,558,130, with the estimated municipal revenues and transfers from all sources other than taxation is estimated to be $10,239,143, compared with $10,950,304 in 2019.
The estimated amount required for the current year expenditures to be funded by municipal reserves is $23,950,111, up from $16,297,200 in 2019.
The DIP (designated industrial property) farmland tax rates is 8.3329, up slightly from 8.27 in 2019.
The machine and equipment tax rate is 10.3629, with a tax levy of $105,614 on an assessment of $10,191,550.
The non-residential tax rate is 10.3629 with a tax levy of $2,006,654, compared with 10.30 on a levy of $2,112,429 in 2019.
The non-residential co-generation tax rate is 10.3629 rate with a tax levy of $305,912 on an assessment of $29,519,940.
The Mountain View Seniors Housing (MVSH) tax rate is 0.3950 with a tax levy of $1,786,954, compared with 0.25 with a levy of $1,146,561 in 2019.
“It went up by 58 per cent,” said Beattie, who is the chairman of MVSH. “We had discussed just taking that out of our municipal side but council felt that it was important that our ratepayers do recognize that we contribute that to seniors housing.”
The Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF) residential and farmland tax rate is 2.550 with a tax levy of $6,188,204 on an assessment of $2,426,746,728. The non-residential rate 3.81, up slightly from 3.79 in 2019.
The designated industrial property tax rate is 0.0747, compared with 0.0785 in 2019.
The average impact on existing residential rolls is $1.75 for the municipal portion of the mill rate and the total impact of $8.78.
The median impact on existing residential rolls is $4.75 for the municipal portion of the mills rate and the total impact of $0.28.
The new tax rates will allow the county to maintain adequate reserves in the budget, he said.
“Our reserves are all dedicated so we know where they are going,” he said. “We are not just holding reserves; they are all dedicated towards specific projects.”
The budget called for total revenue of $34,438,699, down slightly from $34,907,437 in 2019.
Total expanses are $40,817,074, up from $38,016,688 in 2019.
Expenses in 2020 include $675,740 for council, $695,605 for CAO services, $20,596,703 for roads, facilities and shops, $5,096,302 for community grants and transfers.
Council also passed the property tax administration bylaw during last week’s council meeting.
It provided incentives to county taxpayers for early payment due during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the bylaw, tax incentives offer a 0.5 per cent reduction of that total tax bill if paid in full prior to Aug. 15 and one per cent reduction if paid in full prior to July 15.
As well, it waives all penalties if taxes are paid before Dec. 1. If taxes are not paid by Dec. 1, 1.5 per cent interest penalties will be added immediately and an additional 0.5 per cent interest per month until the balance is paid in full.
The county’s tax deadline remains at Sept. 15.
