Airdrie City Council has approved an 8.47 per cent tax increase for the 2019 tax year.

The increase will see the city generate $61 million in municipal taxes.

For the median home in Airdrie, it means a municipal tax increase of $11.96 per month, or $143.57/year. According to the city, the median home price in Airdrie is $404,000

Of the 8.47 per cent increase, two per cent will go towards the tax stabilization fund. 5.18 per cent will go towards protective services, that includes money for two new RCMP officers, four new firefighters, four RCMP administration members and 6 other RCMP who were added in 2018. the remaining 1.29 per cent increase will go towards municipal services like road maintenance and parks.

“When you look at a municipality our size, there is a lot of communities like Grande Prairie and others that have significantly more [RCMP] members than we do, so we’re playing a little bit of catch-up,” explained Mayor Peter Brown. “From that perspective, anything, when it relates to safety, is a good investment.”

Despite the increases, Airdrie still has a competitive standing when it comes to residential taxes. According to city staff, residents in Red Deer and Medicine Hat pay around 58 per cent more than those in Airdrie. Residents of Grande Prairie are paying 153 per cent more.

Mayor Peter Brown said residents will be able to see the comparison themselves when the tax bills are mailed out at the end of the month.

The city says some of the increase will be offset by a decrease in utility rates due to an agreement with the City of Calgary, of around $7.50 per month. The city said that will balance out the tax increase making it closer to 6.5 per cent when the utility break is taken into consideration.

There is a $580,850 surplus from 2018 municipal taxes that has been put into the tax stabilization reserve.

The province will also collect an estimated $31 million in education taxes. That will have homeowners shelling out $33.74 per year more, or $2.81/month

With a new provincial government, there isn’t expected to be a detailed budget for the 2019 year which means education taxes could actually decrease or increase depending on what the new government does. The city says any changes on a provincial level will be reflected in 2020.

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