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At a time when Calgarians face a tax hike for the coming year, their neighbours to the east will see some relief in 2019.

Chestermere’s city council voted Tuesday to cut the 2019 municipal tax rate by two percent, crediting organizational efficiencies for the cut.

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Mayor Marshall Chalmers said the process began early this year following the local election, when council set a strategic plan that included a goal to mitigate tax increases.

“Our community had a very loud cry for council to take a hard look at the taxes, and try and do better but maintain services,” Chalmers said.

“Our economy’s under attack. That goes for everybody in the region. We really have no federal support to address it. In Chestermere, our council has heard the concerns of our community and our belt-tightening is really in response to those concerns.”

Through the work of a new chief administrative officer, Chalmers said the city set out to “reduce overlaps built up over the years.” The tax decrease resulted from efficiencies found in the city’s organizational structure, personnel adjustments and realigned projects.