Graham Long, Free Press
Brazeau County residents can expect a 30 percent rebate on their municipal property taxes once again this year, provided they pay on time.
At a special meeting Tuesday afternoon council voted narrowly in favour of continuing the program for the current year.
There were some initial concerns raised by the County’s lawyers about whether the tax rebate was in line with rules set out in the Municipal Government Act. However, Reeve Bart Guyon said he’d heard nothing but positive things from various provincial ministers he’d spoken to.
“Exactly who is going to take us to task … Municipal Affairs? They’ve known about this for years,” he said. “We’re getting accolades. We’re showing leadership that is starting to show some dividends.”
A further concern regarded the financial viability of the program. In order to offer the rebate this year the County will have to draw on its reserves to make up the difference. Both councillors Marc Gressler and Anthony Heinrich expressed doubts about the wisdom of that move.
“At the end of the day I just can’t support 30 percent,” said Gressler. “We’re not a bottomless pit. At some point the money stops flowing.”
Councillor Sara Wheale went further, suggesting that the rebate program was a band-aid solution that had done nothing to fix a long-term problem with the local economy.
“It’s just going to continue,” she said. “Let’s sit down and get real and have a conversation about what we can do to get people back to work and get money back into the economy.”
However, a number of business owners who called in to the meeting spoke in favour of the rebate. Council had also received a petition asking for it to continue.
A suggestion from Heinrich to reduce the rebate to 20 percent this year was rejected. Council then approved a 30 percent rebate on the municipal portion of property tax provided it is paid in full by the June 30 tax deadline, by a vote of 4-3.
