Initially, franchise fees are going to be five per cent of the of the electrical bill and are applied to everyone, including non-profit organizations (will have a more difficult time to raise funds?) and school taxes may need to increase. So, who is going to come up with the funds for these organizations, the residents of this community? Where are the savings on our property taxes? Out of one pocket of funds to another.
Will our property taxes decrease by five per cent, as council will need to come up with funds for again special projects/interest groups? Will there be exceptions to the electrical franchise fee for special interest groups? If so, residents should be aware of this. What is the mechanism to mitigate/address unintended consequences? How will the Capital Levy for Servus Place be adjusted when their costs will increase? Increased user fees, or will the Capital Levy Servus Place be adjusted, e.g. upward? There are other public use facilities as well.
Businesses get an extra hit on their electrical bills and the customer prices increase – oh yay, we are saving on our property taxes. With minimum wage coming up again, some small business will now have even greater struggles – and we are trying to attract businesses?
How will this help, for example, low income residents when housing co-ops would increase their utility fees? How does this affect affordable housing? In particular “Homeland Housing Requisition” on the Property Assessment and Tax Notice.
How about those who are currently having their property taxes deferred each year? This does not seem to be identified as deferred city revenue. Are our property taxes already higher as a result of this deferred revenue?
Electrical franchise fees would make it even more difficult for those on fixed income to even cover just day to day living expenses. I doubt they get a five per cent cost of living increase each year. We are an inclusive community? We are seemingly heading toward an “exclusive” community.
City of St. Albert, please become very transparent on the matter of the franchise fee. This fee may become very disadvantageous to our city. Perhaps it is appropriate for the City of St. Albert to please address the foregoing in a very transparent way to all residents of our city.
Lynn Miller, St. Albert
