Rocky View County council set the 2012 tax rate for residential and non-residential properties at the regular meeting on May 1.
Council approved the county’s residential mill rate at an increase of approximately three per cent from 2011.
In 2011, owners of an average Rocky View home, which is valued at $871,000, paid $2,056 in taxes. This year that same resident will pay $2,096, an increase of $40.
“It’s a very slight increase,” said Rocky View County Reeve Rolly Ashdown.
“It’s not going to affect anybody in any big way.”
Ashdown added the increase is in keeping with the average being observed across Alberta this year.
“The mill rate in the county is competitive and probably lower than most in Alberta,” he said.
“We are continuing to try and diversify our tax base. That’s how we’re able to keep it as low as we are.”
The County will begin mailing out property tax notices - which will include a breakdown of assessed property value as of July 1, 2011 - to property owners on May 18 and taxes will be due no later than June 30.
Market value assessments are determined through analysis of sale values of similar properties in the area, as well as location, house size and lot size, and can change according to the local real estate market.
After the tax increase, the County expects to collect $183,723,553 in operational and capital funds. The money will be used to provide services in 2012, such as utilities, and school fees for the province.
A total of $36,256,480 will be put toward the Alberta School Foundation Fund, with an additional $526,500 going to the Rocky View Foundation; Seniors’ Housing in Alberta.
Other funds will be used for a number of road upgrades, including Peigan Trail, township roads 270 and 272, and range roads 32, 32, 33 and 292, as well as projects such as water infrastructure in East Balzac, the Highway 8 fire station, Balzac’s fire headquarters, the Bragg Creek wastewater treatment system, the Bragg Creek water treatment plant and distribution main and the Pinebrook lift station bypass.
For more information on taxes, visit the County’s website at www.rockyview.ca
