Lower mill rate in Redcliff means reduction in property taxes

By Medicine Hat News on May 12, 2020.

Property owners in the Town of Redcliff will like see a tax reduction when payments are due this summer, as well as a more flexible timeline for paying and a deferral program for town utilities this spring.

Town council met Monday to set mill-rates for the current year, as well as discuss how provincial changes to education levy collection and utility payments will affect finances for residents affected by coronavirus measures.

Documents in the agenda package show the rates proposed by town administrators would result in the average residential taxpayer seeing a $72 reduction on their bill. The average business owner would pay $331 less, while the relatively small farm class would see an $1,800 increase.

Backgrounder states that the amount required to raise taxes to cover the town budget will be $5.5 million in 2020, up slightly from $5.48 in 2019. With assessment growth between 1.25 and 1.4 per cent for the largest property classes, the effect results in a lowering of the mill rate.

In March the province announced that it would cancel a planned increase to school levy requisition, therefore leaving them at 2019 levels.

As well, council was set to debate a proposal to keep the tax collection date as June 30, but waive penalties on unpaid amounts incurred up to Sept. 30.

Earlier this month council members with the City of Medicine Hat approved maintaining a plan to increase taxes by a proposed 3.5 per cent this spring. But, reserve funds will be used to cancel that specific amount this year across all property classes, and penalty dates will also be moved to the early fall. City council has yet to approve a mill rate.

City notices in the mail

City hall’s finance department announced Monday that assessment noticed had been mailed to non-residential and multi-family residential accounts. A notice of assessment date is set at May 22, meaning the deadline to appeal assessment values will be July 21.

Furthermore, the department states the appeal date for residential property assessment appeals to be filed has been extended to July 1.