MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – Mountain View County council has received a report on changes to linear taxation in the municipality.
The move came during a recent regularly scheduled council meeting. Linear taxation is assessed on things such as pipelines and wells.
The linear tax year change report for the 2020 tax year is provided by Municipal Affairs as part of the year-end linear assessment package.
“As identified in the report, Mountain View County’s linear assessment has dropped significantly,” administration said in a briefing note to council. “There are many factors that contribute to this decrease. Based on the current non-residential mill rate, tax revenue loss is $575,000. Much of this loss can be attributed to changes in policy relating to shallow gas related assets.”
Municipal Affairs officials have told the county that 2019 was one of the worst years for losses in depreciation and closing wells and pipelines, council heard.
Council has directed administration to arrange a presentation by department officials once the new provincial designated industrial properties assessment procedures are in place.
Those procedures are expected to be made public in the fall.
In 2019 linear assessment in the county – which includes electrical power generation, pipelines and telecommunication – totalled $1,246,769,340, down from $1,303,733,330 in 2018.
The difference due to policy is $38,733,810 and the overall change is down 4.3 per cent.
High Level wildfire invoice
Meanwhile, council has approved the addition of $124,407 to the general fire reserve. The move also came by way of motion at a recently regularly scheduled council meeting.
The funds were realized from local department members' deployment to the High Level wildfires in May, June and July 2019.
Carstairs, Cremona, Didsbury and Olds fire departments conducted two deployments, on May 20-29 and on June 19 to July 1.
A total amount of $116,295 was invoiced to the Town of High Level for the first deployment, and an amount of $114,592 was received.
A total amount of $156,451 was invoiced to the Town of High Level for the second deployment, and an amount of $141,0444 was received.
“Mountain View County’s portion of this funding equates to $124,407,” administration said in a briefing note to council. “It is administration’s recommendation that these funds are placed in the general fire reserve to assist with funding future fire capital purchases.”
Meanwhile, council also approved the addition of $4,080 to the general fire reserve. Those funds were the proceeds of the sale of Storz hose from the Cremona fire department to Red Deer County, members heard.
An amount of $1,020 will be forwarded to the Village of Cremona for its 20 per cent share of the sale.
Council also approved the addition of $7,007 from the Carstairs fire department 2019 fire call reserve from July 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019 to the general fire reserve.
All seven councillors attended the Feb. 26 council meeting.
