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Budget time for municipalities

Tax rate freezes or moderate increases the order of the day in most communities
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Photo by pixabay.com

While Santa was busy checking his list twice Central Alberta municipalities were busy double-checking their budget line items.

Most communities have opted to hold the line on taxes or keep increases low for 2018.

Innisfail is going with a zero per cent increase which it says is “setting the tone for an optimistic, yet responsible, fiscal year.”

The operating budget for 2018 is of $20.8 million and the capital budget just short of of $5.1 million. Proposed budgets for 2019 and 2020 were also adopted.

City of Lacombe residents can expect a 1.3 per cent tax rate increase in 2018.

Council passed a $35.6-million operating and $18-million capital budgets earlier this month.

The owner of a typical home assessed at $373,000 can expect to pay an extra $30 on the municipal part of their tax bill.

In Olds, residents can expect a two per cent tax increase for 2018.

Council passed $28.4-million operating and $7.6 million capital budgets earlier this month.

Among capital projects the biggest chunk of cash, $3.04 million is going to roads, trails and improvement projects. Water and sewer infrastructure projects are the next biggest expenditure at $1.58 million.

Stettler’s interim operating budget of $18.3 million anticipates a two per cent municipal tax rate increase.

Stettler is also looking at a $1 million operating budget.



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