CARSTAIRS - Town council has passed the 2022 tax rate bylaw, which includes a slightly lower residential rate compared with last year and a non-residential rate unchanged from 2021.
Town of Carstairs Mayor Lance Colby says the decision to keep rates at last year’s levels was done to ensure residents and business owners already facing inflation pressures were not further burdened.
“With the way things are we didn’t want to impose any further hardships on anyone,” he said. “Of course the tax bill will change, up or down, depending on assessment but on average it will be $10 or less per household.”
Assessments have gone up slightly in town in 2022, he said.
The town should be able to provide the same level of service as it did in 2021, he said.
“We should be able to give everybody the same services as we had last year,” he said.
The 2022 residential mill rate is 6.40, down 0.1 mill from 2021. The total residential tax levy is $3,807,934 on an assessment of $594,989,790.
The non-residential rate is 8.31330, unchanged from 2021. The total tax levy is $539,936 on an assessment of $64,948,510.
The machinery and equipment rate its also 8.31330, unchanged from 2021.
The Alberta School Foundation Fund residential requisition rate is 2.50973. The total tax levy is $1,513,796 on an assessment of $603,170,330. The non-residential rates is 3.84900.
The Mountain View Seniors' Housing Authority rate is 0.34950. The tax levy is $233,539 on an assessment of $668,217,460.
The policing mill rate is 0.24523. The tax levy is $163,869 on an assessment of $668,217,460. The designated industrial rate is 0.07660.
The estimated municipal expenditures and transfers set out in the 2022 budget are $15,318,738.
The budget calls for total revenues of $12,909,859, including $6,611,130 from taxes and requisitions, $1,311,000 from water, $552,209 from sanitary, $552,637 from garbage, $336,290 from the arena, and $1,914,250 from the golf course.
Total expenses are $11,355,974, including $1,695,150 for the golf course.
The mayor will receive remuneration of $25,760 in 2022, the deputy mayor $22,411, and councillors $19,835 each. The per diem less than two hours rate is $90, the half day rate $180, and the full day rate $360.
General administration expenses are $666,916, including $243,263 for wages and $51,085 for benefits.
