The Town of Rocky Mountain House is taking the lead on asking the province to change a potentially confusing line on residents’ tax bills.
Currently, municipal residents pay a provincial school tax requisition that’s included on municipal tax notices. The school tax portion is collected by the town, but then forwarded to the province.
Acting Mayor Len Phillips says, especially with the tax increasing 6.3 per cent this year, and potentially 10 per cent next year, the perception could be that the town is raising taxes on its residents.
“I think it’s time the province collect this tax on their own, through personal income taxes,” said Phillips, adding that residents should only see municipal taxation on their bills.
Deputy Mayor Tina Hutchinson said the item was brought up at the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) Conference, with an emphasis placed on making sure residents know their tax dollars to the town go to things like infrastructure, while the province looks after education.
She adds, the province has put out a tool kit educating residents about how the tax works.
A motion passed for the town to put forth a resolution to AB Munis for municipal and school requisition taxes to be separated, with the province collecting the tax separately.
At its April 15, 2025 council meeting, CAO Dean Krause announced the town of Mayerthorpe is considering seconding the resolution. When a municipality seconds a motion, it doesn’t necessarily mean it always supports the idea behind the motion, only that it would like to see it come up for a vote.
The AB Munis convention is set to convene in Calgary Nov. 14-15.
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