Crowsnest Pass taxpayers concerned about debt, spending

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on October 2, 2024.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

An organization of Crowsnest Pass taxpayers wants financial accountability from their municipal government.
The Crowsnest Taxpayers Association says taxes and community debt are both rising and they want to know why.
Association members, in an interview with The Herald last week, expressed concerns about council’s spending on various projects including a Bellevue revitalization project, a beautification initiative in Blairmore’s Gazebo Park and replacement of the municipality’s vehicle fleet for which they say there is $2.575 million budgeted for in 2024.
They also have concerns about a $2.3 million water enhancement project which the association says no residents in the Pass seem to know anything about.
The association says property taxes have risen 40 per cent in the past five years with 80.7 per cent of tax revenue coming from residential and farmland owners.
Two Pass council members recently told The Herald that high pressure on residential taxpayers is a reason the area needs the proposed Grassy Mountain coal mine. They say increasing industry will lower the tax burden on residents.
Council recently set Nov. 25 as the date for a non-binding vote on the question “Do you support the development and operations of the metallurgical coal mine at Grassy Mountain?”
Councillor Dean Ward put forward the motion stating “in the last 10 years Northback and its predecessors have been attempting to develop a coal mine to the north of our municipality. Many individuals, organizations and levels of government have expressed an opinion on whether this project should move forward or not. Unfortunately very few of these groups have asked the opinion of the residents of the Crowsnest Pass.”
The taxpayers association isn’t weighing in on the coal debate, however.
President Carmen Roman says the organization is seeking transparency from government on what the CNP Taxpayers consider to be excessive spending and high taxes.
Crowsnest Pass mayor Blair Painter was contacted last week for comment on the association’s issues and by press-time last night had not answered several questions which were emailed to him at his request.
The association staged a meeting two weeks ago at the Hillcrest Miners Club at which member Miranda Bogaard showed a Powerpoint presentation about Pass financial matters.
Bogaard discussed many of those issues with the Herald saying by year’s end the CNP could have nearly $14 million in debt, $13.88 million to be exact. She says the Pass is already $9.38 million in debt, figures she calls “certainly troubling.”
Bogaard says debt and spending are concerning since the Crowsnest Pass has very little industry.
“What is the long-term plan? We’ve not seen a lot of growth,” said Bogaard in a phone interview. She added that the municipality is making minimum payments on its debt and seems to have no plan to pay off significant portions.
“Where are we, howe did we get here, where do we go in the future? A lot of residents don’t understand where we’re at,” added Bogaard.
The association says residential taxes increased this year because of a hike in home valuations. Between 2020 and 2023, those valuations increased an average of nine per cent each year. While the mill rate was lowered by 8.3 per cent in 2023, taxes still rose because of the increased home valuations. If those valuations increase again by the same amount, the owner of a $350,000 home who paid $2,501.31 in taxes this year could see a $274.17 tax increase in 2025, the association says.
The organization also says there have been a 64 per cent increase in council wages, salaries and benefits since 2022 and a 57 per cent increase in the CAO staff wages, salaries and benefits since then. Wages, salaries and benefits for Finance staff have increased 37 per cent but the association says no additional staff have been hired in those departments.
Among the spending items to raise the ire of the association are the Bellevue project which includes a 60-car parking lot with washroom and curb bumpouts.
“We didn’t need all this construction and beautification,” says Roman.
And Bogaard sees no reason for the gazebo project.
“That space is currently functional. It works very well for all our events.”

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