Less fortunate residents should benefit from the 2022 budget that city council approved because several initiatives should help attract new businesses and generate new jobs, the mayor says.
Similar to other residents, Mayor Clive Tolley said he is concerned when he sees less fortunate people on the streets and wonders if they have a place to live. Based on conversations with the Moose Jaw Police Service and John Howard Society, he has learned that most people who look homeless have somewhere to go.
“Certainly, we’re all concerned when we see people … and it’s cold outside,” he said during a recent post-budget media scrum.
Meanwhile, some people live on fixed income and are attempting to live independently while facing a property tax hike of 5.45 per cent, Tolley continued. Understandably, they might face challenges, but city hall does want people to live in their own homes.
For homeowners with a home value of roughly $200,000, they will pay about $90 more per year because of the tax increase, he pointed out.
“So when I thought of that, I thought, we can invest all this money in Moose Jaw and do all these good things for our community, and it’s going to cost the typical homeowner less than $90 a year,” Tolley added. “I can think it’s a good trade-off, a good investment.”
The mill rate increase means taxpayers will pay an extra $81.12 per year on their property bills. Furthermore, a six-per-cent combined increase in water and sewer utilities means taxpayers will fork over an extra $45.12 per year, for a total of $161.24 extra next year.
For less fortunate people who are unemployed or underemployed, there are job opportunities available throughout the community if they’re willing to work, Tolley said.
For example, Thunder Creek Pork Plant has 30 vacancies. For people saying they can’t pay their taxes, Tolley encouraged them to apply at the plant since those full-time jobs pay well and have good benefits.
City manager Jim Puffalt pointed out that there are also several part-time jobs available at Mosaic Place and at least 30 full-time positions are needed to help build the SaskPower Great Plains Power Station.
“What we’re trying to create in Moose Jaw is to grow the city and create a scenario where there’s more jobs to choose from, and families can move here and have jobs and be able to buy a house and send their kids to school and pay their taxes,” the mayor said.
“So, we see these tax increases as an investment in our community and are looking for longer-term better results for the community.”
When asked whether council could have used the increase in the infrastructure levy to offset taxes and give residents a tax break, Tolley indicated that every taxable home will now pay $100 per year to fund infrastructure repair costs. This across-the-board tax made sense to him to help fund the cast iron replacement program.
The next city council meeting is Monday, Jan. 10.
