Prepare to pay more and receive less, says Smook
As the Alberta Party’s Shadow Minister for Municipal Affairs, Kevin Smook said that Albertans should be prepared to pay more and receive less.
“It will be municipal taxpayers who will feel the pain of the 2020 provincial budget announced Feb. 27,” Smook added. “The province is downloading significant costs to municipalities. And it is doing so without consultation or warning making it impossible for local Councils to plan appropriately.”
Smook explained that the province is downloading to municipalities and municipal taxpayers. While Jason Kenney’s government is proud to maintain education funding, the province is actually paying less, and downloading more to the municipalities through education property tax. They are also downloading policing costs to municipalities, while reducing the amount of fine revenue municipalities keep, and reducing the amount of taxes municipalities can collect from industry. It’s putting a great deal of pressure on municipalities.
In his latest budget, Jason Kenney eliminated a $500,000 firefighting grant that was used by volunteer departments throughout the province. This grant has been around for 20 years. Its elimination was announced two months into the fiscal year. . . . contd.
