Council approves tax bylaw at 2.6% resulting in $64.14 increase for average homeowner

by Colin Smith

Council has decided, and the property tax rate for Morinville homeowners and businesses will be going up 2.6% this year.

Passage of the 2020 Property Tax Rate Bylaw that sets the increase took place at Council’s regular meeting Apr. 28, following an attempted amendment limiting the tax rise to 2%.

That was the increase originally anticipated in the 2020 Operating Budget passed in December, with the higher number resulting from lower than expected municipal growth.

The amendment was proposed by Councillor Stephen Dafoe, who put the cost to the Town in terms of lost revenue at $54,000. Savings to residential taxpayers would be about five dollars per year.
While proposing the .6% cut Dafoe said he would love to see a zero tax increase, with the impact the current events are having on people’s financial situations.

“I know that during the budget process we made tremendous cuts and there are some temporary staff changes as well,” Dafoe said. “So I know that trying to take 54 grand more out of the equation while maintaining service levels would be difficult. I don’t think it’s insurmountable.”

Councillor Lawrence Giffen, who opposed the motion, said that he realized people were hurting but the approximately .50 cents per month taxpayers would benefit wouldn’t change much.

“I don’t think that is a huge hardship and it makes such a difference to the future of the Town,” he said.

Mayor Barry Turner said cutting the tax increase in these uncertain economic times could limit the Town’s ability to provide needed support in the future, and also hamper its efforts to achieve a balanced budget.

The voting on the amendment resulted in a three-three tie, as Councillor Sarah Hall was not in attendance due to a family matter. Procedurally, a tie results in the defeat of the motion.
The motion was supported by Dafoe and Councillors Scott Richardson and Rebecca Balanko, with Turner, Giffen and Councillor Nicole Boutestein opposed.

After the defeat of the amendment, the main motion to provide second and third reading of the Tax Bylaw passed unanimously.

For the average homeowner, with an assessment of $332,696 in 2020, taxes will climb $65.52 per year to $3,393.13.

That increase includes rises of $64.14 for municipal taxes and $1.51 for education taxes while the Homeland Housing requisition for seniors’ facilities has declined by 13 cents.

Non-residential commercial property owners will see an average tax increase of $182.66 and the average increase for industrial property will be $303.55.

Tax notices will begin going out Friday; however, due date for payment of taxes will be extended from June 30 to August 31, as provided for by a further bylaw passed unanimously by Council Tuesday.

On September 1 a 7.5% penalty will apply to accounts in arrears, and current taxes that remain unpaid as of December will be subject to a nine per cent penalty on January 1, 2021.

“We encourage those who can continue to pay on a monthly basis to do so,” said Chief Financial Officer Shawna Jason.

Further information is available on the Town website, www.morinville.ca. Information can also be requested by email at tax-utilities@morinville.ca, phone 780-939-4361 or Fax 780-939-5633.

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34 Comments

    • Dustan McLean no it is not ok for government to pick our pockets dry little by little. They need to do what the average household has to do ( cut spending). Half off what they spent tax money on is a want not a need. Cut out the want and only keep the need. We pay more than enough property taxes in Morinville. It is actually very high in Morinville

  1. Fuck this the dog food place should pay everyone’s taxes because they stink out the whole town and expect us to endure the smell ??? Same with legal alfalfa so not right

  2. Council needs $54,000.00?
    At average of $3,200.00 per home, if council attracts one new business and 14 new homes built, they will easily achieve their goal without increasing taxes by 1 dollar.
    Growth will increase desire ability , which in turn
    Will increase propery values, which increases their tax rolls.
    Getting money by increasing mil rates does not attract business or homeowners. New homeowners don’t mind if their taxes go up if it’s because the value of the home goes up.
    I would like to see more of council minutes that reflect agendas that consistently update on activities to attract business, doctors, developers.
    Are there negotiations in place for Sturgeon county to get a hospital in the future? Would Morinville be the center?
    I look foreard to more of these types of updates.

    • Bill Leeman….haha! That doesn’t surprise me! I just know I go over 2 huge potholes everyday that are probably the size of my SUV in length! A week ago they fixed one of them, but left the other pothole?! Was it lunch time of something….I just don’t get it.

  3. Yall that are mad about this need to go to the town council meetings, I do it they basically laugh in my face because I’m only one person vs 8 you guys need to cget your voices heard and not just on facebook

  4. Not surprised by this, and they probably didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. COVID has devastated the economy, Morinville isn’t immune to it. They have to recover some of that some how.

  5. Wow thats great a nice tax hike on top of everything. Great job council members maybe you should be taking a 25 percent income decrease instead of raising our taxes for literally not fixing anything in town. Can’t even build a rec center with a pool, fix pot holes or really any maintenance. What a joke

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