City passes COVID-19 relief measures, including cancelled tax hike

By Medicine Hat News on May 20, 2020.

City council passed the major tenets of a COVID relief package Tuesday that will cancel a proposed property tax increase this year and move the due date to the end of September.

Members also discussed the potential of adding a statement geared toward recognizing the movement to Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous people and also formalized a process to officially name a portion the South Flats as “Saratoga Park.”

Earlier this month the city announced it would dedicate $3.9 million in reserve funding to fill in for a set 3.5 per cent tax increase that was to be collected June 30.

As well, it altered the penalty date bylaw to allow for payments to be collected as late at Sept. 30 with not added charges.

This spring the province told small business owners that it would defer collection of the provincial education levy collected on municipal tax bills. The move aligns the two dates.

Â Tuesday’s meeting was the first in three months to feature a public hearing for potential land zoning changes. Council approved a request by Cove Communities, the owner of a mobile home park between 13th Avenue and the Hamptons Community, to change original schematics to increase density while redeveloping the park.

Council also approved two substantial bids, the $4.8-million completion of sewer and water lines on the Spencer-Kipling corridor (to local firm BYZ Enterprises), and a $1.74-million contract to replace the Finally Bridge deck with concrete (to Horseshoe Hill Construction).

The June 1 meeting of city council will be held at the Esplanade, but the size fo the audience will likely still be restricted by health orders.