Innisfail residents will be spared some tax pain this year.
Town council set its municipal tax rates this week and will hold the line, opting for no rate increase.
The province’s school requisition came in 3.3 per cent higher. Even so, the tax bill on a property assessed at $370,300 is only expected to increase $12 this year.
Whether a property owner’s taxes go up depends on whether their assessment increased. However, town-wide property values dropped one per cent, meaning most residents will likely see little or no increases.
“We’re pleased to be in a position where we can meet our goals and needs without increasing taxes,” said Mayor Brian Spiller. “The town continues to be financially healthy while being mindful of difficult financial times.”
Taxes are due by June 30.
There was more good news for Innisfail. Council was able to use a $460,190 2016 surplus to top up funding for a number of projects that didn’t receive the full amount of funding requested in the 2017 budget.
Reserve funds for fire equipment, the skate park project and road equipment each got $50,000. Another $50,000 will go towards solar equipment for the administration building and $35,000 into a trails reserve. Another $100,000 was set aside for baseball diamond maintenance and $5,000 for a bylaw equipment reserve.
The remaining money will be left in a reserve fund for capital projects.