Lacombe
A typical Lacombe taxpayer is expected to see a less than two per cent increase in their bill this year.
Lacombe city council passed first reading of its tax rate bylaw on Monday and some minor budget adjustments were made.
“(Council) directed administration to come back with a lower tax. We had revenue room this year, so we’re going to lower our tax rate,” said Michael Minchin, the city’s corporate services director.
The city had been considering a 2.8 per cent municipal tax rate increase, averaging commercial and residential rates, but Minchin expects that will be brought down to 2.3 per cent.
When school taxes are factored in, the news is even better for residential ratepayers. The total tax increase for a typical property is expected to be about 1.7 per cent, since school taxes went down for those ratepayers.
The owner of a home assessed at $253,032 would see their total tax bill go up $40 to $2,460 from $2,420 last year.
Second and third readings are expected to take place at the May 13 meeting.
Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake town council has kept its municipal tax increase to under two per cent.
Since assessments came in higher than expected, council was able to trim a projected 2.4 per cent tax increase to 1.9 per cent. Council approved second and final readings of a tax rate bylaw on Monday.
Final tax bills will also include the school requisition, which increased 2.5 per cent his year, although non-residential properties will feel most of the impact.
Tax bills also reflect a $245,154 contribution to the Sylvan Lake Foundation and a $400,000 recreation levy, which goes into a reserve to bankroll future town recreation projects.
For a sample home in Fox Run valued at $350,780, the tax bill this year will be $2,889.72 — a $3.24 increase over last year.
The owner of a Hewlett Park home worth $250,700 will face a tax bill of $2,065.26 — up $50.63 over 2012.
Tax notices will be sent out on May 31 and taxes are due by July 31.
Red Deer County
Red Deer County has approved a two per cent municipal tax rate increase.
A three per cent increase was anticipated last December.
But $1.5 million in new development added enough new assessment to lower the rate.
On a typical home assessed at $300,000, ratepayers will see their annual municipal taxes increase to $1,078. 26 this year, from $1,054.50, an increase of $23.76.
Red Deer County’s combined operating and capital budget is $66.8 million, down from $73.7 million last year.