Town council sets property tax rates for 2016

Nikki Jamieson
Vauxhall Advance
njamieson@tabertimes.com

Vauxhall’s tax rates for 2016 have been set.

During their regular meeting on April 18, Vauxhall town council read and passed two bylaws; Bylaw 902-16 2016 Tax Frontage and Bylaw 903-16 Taxation Rate 2016.

“The (frontage tax) has not changed for years and years,” said Melinda Dunphy, office manager for the town. “And (the taxation rate) is with the five per cent increase.”

“As per budget,” said Margaret Plumtree, Vauxhall mayor.

In December, council passed 50 per cent of the 2016 budget, as required by Municipal Government Act, in Chapter M-26 of the Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000 and any subsequent amendments.

During a special meeting on April 11, council set their capital and operating budgets for the year, but had to wait for the provincial budget to be released, so they would know what the education mill rate would be.

During that meeting, a motion made to approve a five per cent increase to the municipal portion of the tax rate, with that portion to be set as follows, residential at 5.6933, commercial at 16.8706, farmland at 11.1125 and machinery and equipment at 16.8706.

However, these items are subject to change depending on the tax rate for education, as set by the province.

Now that the provincial budget for 2016 has been released, the town has set their tax rates at; residential at 8.6535 (tax levy of $591,657.99), commercial at 20.8683 (tax levy of $270,707.79), farmland at 14.0727 (tax levy of $1,003.97) and machinery and equipment at 17.3347 (tax levy of $22,190.17).

According to the Taxation Rate bylaw, these rates are “deemed necessary to provide amounts required for schools, senior citizen housing, health facilities, planning, recreation, municipal purposes and making due allowances for the amount of taxes, which may remain unpaid”.

The Tax Frontage bylaw repeals the previous tax frontage bylaw – Bylaw 890-15 – which sets the tax frontage rate for the town.
The maximum charged frontage is 300 feet, and the annual rates are, as follows:

* Water works maintenance frontage tax of $1.50 per foot of frontage, against the owner of lots fronting or abutting any street, lane or public highway traversed by any water main or pipe.

* Sewer works maintenance frontage tax of $0.25 per foot of frontage, against the owner of every lot fronting any street, lane or public highway traversed by any sewer main or pipe.

* Sidewalk maintenance frontage tax of $0.25 per foot of frontage, against the owner of every lot fronting or abutting any street, lane or public highway for the general repair, upkeep and general maintenance of sidewalks.

* Street maintenance frontage tax of $2.50 per foot of frontage, against the owner of lots fronting any street, lane or public highway for the general repair, upkeep and general maintenance of streets.

* Special tax of $0.50 per foot of frontage, against the owner of lots fronting any street, lane or public highway for the provision of emergency services.

* Special tax of $1.00 per foot of frontage, against the owner of lots fronting any street, lane or public highway for the purpose of providing recreations facilities and services.

All municipalities are required to pass taxation bylaws in Alberta.

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