Sturgeon County passes budget with no tax increase

by Colin Smith

Sturgeon County residents will see no municipal property tax increase next year following adoption of the 2019 budget by the County Council on December 11.

“I am pleased we were able to avoid a tax increase, while managing to maintain, and in some areas, increase service levels,” said County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw. “With the current state of the economy, it’s necessary that we reduce financial strain where we can.”

Approval of the operating and capital budgets followed a Council review and analysis of submissions from Administration over a three-day period in early October, followed by three days of deliberations in late November.

The budget places an emphasis on infrastructure, with planning for investments in roads and bridges, as well as drainage through the drainage master plan.

There is also a focus on public safety, with initiatives next year to include two peace officers, a water tanker truck for Fire Services and increased roadside brushing.
A census is also planned for 2019.

“It is our job as Council to ask questions and make tough decisions to ensure that Sturgeon County remains competitive and fiscally responsible,” said Hnatiw. “We have an obligation to our residents.”

The final municipal tax rates will be set in the spring. Included in residents’ bills will be provincially regulated amounts for the education and seniors’ housing levies.
Also, utility fees for water and wastewater management will increase by about $58 per year for the average residential utility customer in 2019.

The Sturgeon County 2019 Operating/Capital Budget document will be available online at www.sturgeoncounty.ca in mid-January.

24 Comments

  1. Yet Morinville were promised grants and got fuck all so now we all have to pay for the towns fuckups so hello 4% tax increase!! ???

  2. The council knew that the grants didn’t get approved for the rec centre and they still went ahead and started the build. The council had more then enough time to back out of this and yet they still went ahead. Now all of morinville residents have to pay with a 4% tax hike. Lisa Holmes started this however left council and barry turner took over. Again we dont get 50% of what was promised due to cut backs on the rec to keep on budget. Thank you for nothing

  3. That’s an amazing council to actual listen to the residents. Sturgeon County held a budget talks online for its residents letting them voice an opinion or ask a question about the budget, great idea since those residents are who council is to be working for. Not like morinville at all as they expect everyone to pitch in on a REC centre that has become a money pit!

  4. Funny seeing County EMPLOYEES bitch about something the cheap, shithole county didn’t contribute to. So laughable the comments on here. Kinda like the county. A FUCKING JOKE.

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