After a heated debate, Town of Sundre council made a decision to waive penalties for unpaid property taxes by a couple whose home sustained damage in a fire this spring.
The request from residents Robert and Gabrielle Grainger asked for a tax break, as they have not been able to live in their home for a number of months.
They have missed more than one deadline for paying municipal taxes as a result of the situation and are being penalized for missing payments.
During the council meeting on Aug. 19, Coun. Chris Vardas said he has sympathy for the residents but he does not support providing a tax break.
He said if council approved the request then it would have to do so for everyone else, including the hundreds of flood victims that are suffering.
Coun. Myron Thompson said he supports the tax break because he said compassion is needed in some cases.
“But where do you draw the line?” replied Vardas.
Thompson said flood victims are supported through the provincial government and that this is an individual incident.
Coun. Tony Jordan questioned if the residents are covered by house insurance and Thompson said they are not covered for municipal taxes.
Coun. Cheri Funke said she supports taking away the tax penalties for not being able to pay taxes, but doesn't support a tax break. She said she agrees with Vardas that council would have to provide a tax break to everyone else.
Thompson said it is a rare occurrence, so it wouldn't be a situation where council would have to provide for everyone else.
He made a motion to waive all the municipal property taxes for the time period in which they have been displaced from their home. He was the only councillor in favour of the motion.
Wanda Watson-Neufeld, the town's director of corporate services, clarified with councillors that the town applies three penalties a year.
Funke made a motion to waive the penalties for not paying municipal taxes from the time of the fire until Sept. 30. The motion was carried, however Vardas, Jordan and Thompson were opposed.
Gabrielle Grainger was present at the governance meeting on Aug. 12 to make the request to council.
During that meeting, Jordan asked administration if the town has granted tax breaks before in similar situations. Watson-Neufeld discussed a couple of situations where residents had their homes damaged by fire and were not given a tax break. She also checked with surrounding communities and said that the general consensus is that tax breaks are not provided in such a situation.
“On March 26, our house located at 1304 2nd St. NE, suffered severe damage from an accidental fire,” reads a letter from the Graingers. It was addressed to town council and administration on June 27.
“Since that date we have been displaced from our home and unable to live at the property while repairs are being made. Until the repairs are completed we have been forced to find alternative temporary accommodations.”
Gabrielle stated at the governance meeting on Aug. 12 that they are able to move back in next month.
