By Katherine Svenkeson

Less tax discounts coming to Battleford

Dec 21, 2016 | 4:00 PM

Residents in the Town of Battleford might be paying a little more on their taxes in 2017. After looking at the budget for the upcoming year, it was found the town’s property tax discounts were roughly a $200,000 expense to the town, and council want to make changes to amend that.

The discount alleviates some cost to taxpayers, while helping the town by incentivising residents to pay their property taxes earlier rather than later.

“The good thing is approximately 40 per cent of our residences pay their taxes before Mar. 31,” said Chief Administrative Officer, John Enns-Wind. “These are significant discounts, well and above what can be earned in the market. In order to reduce this expense, but still have an incentive for people to pay their taxes, is to reduce the discount.”

Starting in the new year, discounts in January will be moved from 10 per cent to eight per cent, in February from 10 per cent to seven per cent, in March from 10 per cent to six per cent, in April eight per cent to four per cent, in May from six per cent to two per cent, and in June from five per cent to no discount at all.

“To put it in perspective, in January it’s a two per cent change,” Mayor Ames Leslie said. “It sounds like a lot when it’s two per cent, but on an average home of $2,000 [in taxes] it is $20 for the year. It’s not a significant change, and some may say ‘well than why do it?’ but when you have 41 per cent to the town, that $20 is potentially less tax or more projects that the town can accomplish with $200,000.”

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Councillor McLean Tady pointed out that it’s still one of the better discounts in the province, and some areas don’t even offer discounts, like the R.M. of Meadow Lake, which removed their discount program earlier in November.   

There was one vote against the changes by Councillor Boutin-Gervais, but with majority votes the decrease was approved for the upcoming year.

Katherine.svenkeson@jpbg.ca

@ksvenkeson