Council considers 10% M.D. tax hike

Tina Kennedy
South Peace News

M.D. of Big Lakes residents could see a 10 per cent increase in their taxes for 2004.

While meting out their interim budget, not up for finalization until May of next year, councillors argued the rights and wrongs of increasing taxes again.

One point of concern was this year's increase of five per cent to cover costs for an indoor swimming pool.

"That's a big increase," says Joussard councillor Veronica Andruchiw. "I can say one thing, I can not live with my conscience with a 10 per cent increase."

After reviewing the budget on Dec. 3, Dec. 9 and again Dec. 10, councillors noted that to maintain services and see improvements, an increase in the mil rate, based on the previous year's equalized tax assessment, was necessary.

"Services or taxes," says Will Marx for Banana Belt. "That's why we're here."

During deliberations councillors increased funding to community halls, equalized recreation grants to hamlets, increased monies to culvert maintenance, invested money in a GPS tracking system, invested more money in mowing, approved going ahead with a softstart for the Grouard force main, assign money for dog catchers, increase funding to their transportation fund, and allot money for new self contained breathing apparatuses for the High Prairie fire department. Those additions meant finding another $578,000.

But, says Andruchiw, with all the additions to the budget, will the rural residents who were hit hard with BSE last year see any justification for it.

"Is 10 per cent acceptable in the farmland?"

John Eriksson, chief administrative officer, told councillors there were several ways they could spread out the mil rate. In two of the instances residential and non-residential would not see as much of an increase as industry and commercial would.

But, he adds, it's still too soon to make any decisions.

This year's equalized assessment, the one to be used when tallying taxes, is due in next week. Once in the assessment might show a different scenario.

"If the assessment goes up, for some reason you don't know about, you won't need the mil rate increase."

If property evaluations increase, revenues would increase accordingly. Big Lakes would not need to implement any other increases, he adds.

Ken Killeen, reeve, asked for a vote on a motion to accept the interim budget, with only Andruchiw and Joyce Dvornek, Gilwood/Triangle councillor, opposed.

Council can make changes in the budget in May before approving a final budget, says Killeen.

"Then we'll have it in black and white and we can cut and slash if we need to."