The 2023 budget proposes adding over $175 to taxpayers’ annual bills for the municipal tax hike, but if other utility and infrastructure levies are included, that number jumps to nearly $250.
City hall is proposing to increase municipal property taxes in 2023 by 4.75 per cent or adding $6.32 per month or $75.84 per year for the “average homeowner,” the budget report says.
Furthermore, taxpayers are also facing a new infrastructure levy to support the parks and recreation department’s efforts to maintain its many venues. This would add an extra $8.33 per month or $100 per year to bills.
This levy is on top of the $100 per year infrastructure levy homeowners continue to pay to support the cast iron replacement program.
The proposed municipal tax hike and parks and rec levy add $14.64 per month or $175.84 per year to property bills.
“Even with these increases … the average house in Moose Jaw would pay $1,773.77 on an annual basis (or) $147.81 per month in municipal property taxes, exclusive of (the) Moose Jaw Police Service 2023 increase, (which is) one of the lowest rates in Saskatchewan,” the budget document said.
All the services that residents expect and enjoy — such as fire, police, snow removal, pools, arenas, concerts, soccer pitches, ball diamonds, pathways, parks, recreation, economic development, and upgrades to parks and rec venues — will still cost less per month than what people pay for cable, cell phones, or the internet, the report continued.
“Truly the best deal in the city,” the document added.
Meanwhile, the Moose Jaw Police Service is asking for an operating budget increase of 5.49 per cent. This would increase municipal taxes by 1.84 per cent, or an extra $2.45 per month or $29.40 per year.
The budget also proposes increasing waterworks utility rates by four per cent and sanitary sewer utility rates by three per cent, a total of seven per cent.
The waterworks increase would add an extra $2.86 per month or $34.32 per year to taxpayers’ bills, while the sanitary sewer increase would add an extra $1.72 per month or $20.64 per year to bills.
That would be an extra $4.58 per month or $54.96 per year for both utilities.
However, homeowners will have some reprieve with recycling costs because the city recently signed a new contract that reduces taxes by 0.74 per cent, or $0.98 per month or $11.81 per year.
Combining the proposed municipal tax hike, the police service request, the water and sewer utility increases, and the parks and rec infrastructure levy, the total increase homeowners could face next year would be $21.68 per month or $260.16.
If the existing cast iron infrastructure levy is included, the annual property tax hike will increase to $360.16. However, this possible tax hike does not include any extra projects that council approves for next year.
A one percentage point increase in the municipal mill rate next year is valued at $330,701, according to city administration.
During the first 2023 budget discussion meeting, all these potential increases caught the eye of Coun. Dawn Luhning, who pointed out that the overall municipal tax increase won’t be 4.75 per cent, but higher.
“There are some hefty, hefty expense asks in here. We really need to take a closer look … ,” she said.
“I think we need to keep this in perspective … . The parks and recreation levy is a steep ask,” she continued. I understand that facilities need to be maintained, but we are in a really high inflation period right now and costs are going up.”
Luhning added that there could be some projects council pushes into 2024 to ease the economic burden taxpayers face next year.
