Education tax relief

For most producers, farmland property taxes are going the right direction this year, courtesy of the provincial government addressing the long-standing education tax issue. On Wednesday night, the Rural Municipality of Francis south of Regina held its annual spring ratepayers meeting. Reeve George Leier provided some preliminary calculations on property taxes in the RM. The municipality will be applying the same mill rate this year. The education mill rate has declined dramatically. There has also been a reassessment which has raised assessed farmland values. On one quarter of very good farmland in the RM of Francis, the assessment has increased about 18 per cent going from $75,600 to $89,400. The property tax will total about $766 this year, down from $854 last year. On a medium quality quarter, the assessment has increased from $44,000 to $47,800, but the property tax bill will decline from $497 to about $410. On a lower quality quarter, the assessment has increased quite dramatically going from $23,500 to $31,300. In this case, the property tax is increasing just slightly going from $193 to $195. Most producers are going to be getting good news when they get this year’s property tax statements. I’m Kevin Hursh.

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Kevin Hursh, PAg, CAC