Friday, June 10 2022

Alix Village Council appears to be holding the line on its rate per mile, but with property values ​​rising in the municipality, residents could see their tax bills rise in 2022. The Operating Budget Discussion took place at the April 6 regular meeting of the board.

Village Superintendent (CAO) Michelle White presented the 2022 draft operating budget, which also included the draft budgets for 2023, 2024 and 2025, as required by the provincial government. She noted that the current year’s budget was similar to the draft budget approved by Councilors last winter.

Not all of the draft budgets provided for any increase in Alix’s rates.

The CAO said the municipal portion of the mill rate remains unchanged from 2017; this is the number the village uses, along with property values, zoning and other matters, to calculate tax bills.

However, White pointed out that property values ​​in Alix have increased and the village has seen several property sales over the past year. She noted that residents could see their tax bill rise if their taxable value increases.

Com. Barb Gilliat said higher land values ​​are a good thing.

Com. Ed Cole asked how much an Alix owner would see an increase, to which White replied that it looks like valuations at Alix have gone up by around $2,000 to $5,000, but she couldn’t predict. how this would affect a tax bill. Cole replied that if property values ​​are increasing, it shows that Alix is ​​a thriving community.

White pointed out that one change to the proposed 2022 operating budget from the draft budget is the deferral of a $15,000 lagoon fence project. She noted that the lagoon fence needed some maintenance, but the village has spoken to the neighboring landowner, who has cattle, and it is understood the work will be completed, but likely not in 2022.

White said the neighbor was “…very understanding.”

Instead of the fencing project, the $15,000 will instead go into the sewer reserve account to pay for an emergency repair to the sewer line at the lift station following an incident that happened a while ago. a few weeks.

Councilors unanimously approved the proposed 2022 to 2025 operating budgets with one modification to the 2022 budget: the $15,000 lagoon fence project will be deferred.

Property tax regulation

The Director General presented the property tax by-law which will allow to collect the necessary income to pay the budget of the councilors approved a few moments before. White said the school requisition rate appears to be slightly lower than last year.

Councilors passed all the readings to put the bylaw into effect.

OPP

Councilors discussed a letter from the National Police Federation (NPF), the bargaining unit that now represents the entire RCMP.

The letter encouraged municipalities to join the NFP’s call to action to “stop the idea of ​​a new provincial police force.”

Com. Cole, who is a retired RCMP member himself, said he agreed with the letter and pointed out that the NFP was simply quoting the province’s own transition study, including numbers that showed in his view that the initial start-up costs of a provincial police force would be “outrageous.”

Cole went on to note that news reports from April 6 also indicated RCMP recruiting was down 50% and not expected to improve.

Cole then noted that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) also issued a statement on April 6, all of its members opposing a provincial police force.

“As a citizen of Alberta, I would much rather have the RCMP,” added Cole.

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