The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Property taxes are headed up, down or sideways in Creighton and Denare Beach following an announcement from the Saskatchewan premier. Brad Wall said Wednesday the province will significantly cut education property taxes across Saskatchewan in next week's budget. Since many properties have risen in value following the latest provincial assessment, the government will collect the same level of education tax funding as last year. But whether an individual pays more, less or the same will depend on whether their particular property increased in value _ and by how much. Wall said 'some property owners will still see their taxes go up because their assessment went up more than average, while others will see their property taxes go down.' 'But overall, we are holding the line on education property tax mill rates,' he said in a news release. Value increased The overall value of property in Saskatchewan has increased 67 per cent over the past four years, from $58 billion in 2009 to $97 billion in 2013. Wall said that while that's good news for property owners, it could have meant dramatic property tax increases had the province left education tax rates unchanged. 'A few weeks ago, Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter said that our government would take a close look at the impact of this huge increase in property values on property taxes,' he said Wednesday. 'Today, I am pleased to announce that despite some significant pressures on our provincial budget, we will hold the line on education property taxes in 2013.' Wall cautioned that with increasing school enrollments, his government may have to look at adjusting the education property tax in the years ahead. But he tempered that statement by saying his government 'delivered the largest education property tax cut in Saskatchewan history' four years ago. 'As a result, education taxes now fund about 35 per cent of K-12 school costs,' Wall said, adding that the figure was about 60 per cent when he took office as premier in 2007. Saskatchewan residents' property tax bill, like those in Manitoba, include two charges: one for the local school division and another for the municipality. The Wall government removed taxation power from Saskatchewan school boards in 2009, giving itself the authority to set education tax rates. Wall's government is due to unveil its 2013 budget this Wednesday, March 20.
