Most Sturgeon County homeowners will pay about $4 more in utilities, taxes, and levies this year due to a giant plunge in the school tax.
County council approved second reading of the 2022 tax rate bylaw April 12 in a 6-1 vote (Coun. Matthew McLennan opposed).
The 2022 Sturgeon County budget featured a 1.8-per-cent municipal tax increase — the first increase since 2018. This bylaw, if passed, would actually implement that tax hike.
A 1.8-per-cent hike would add about $26 to the tax bill of the average county home (assumed to be worth $400,000), county administration previously told The Gazette. Said home (assuming 22.5 cubic metres of water and 20.25 cubic metres of wastewater use per month) would also pay about $182.32 a month in utilities this year, or about $3.56 more than last year.
County finance and treasury manager Sabrina Duquette said the education requisition for the average home (which was set by the province) had dropped by 3.3 per cent, which would shave $39 off the average home’s tax bill. The Homeland Housing requisition is up a whopping 50.69 per cent, adding $13.61 to the average residential tax bill.
This suggests the average county homeowner should pay net $4.17 more this year for municipal taxes, requisitions, and utilities should this tax bylaw be approved.
Coun. Kristin Toms supported the bylaw, saying the county has done much to rein in this tax hike (which is directly related to policing costs downloaded from the province) and has gone three years without a tax increase.
“We need to ensure the county stays healthy, not just now, but into the future.”
McLennan said he opposed the increase as it would add to costs faced by residents this year.
The bylaw returns for a final vote April 22.
