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.
Manitobans will pay $10 million less in provincial education taxes this year thanks to a decrease in the education support levy, Education Minister Peter Bjornson has announced. "Our government is committed to ensuring education funding is sustainable, predictable and affordable," said Bjornson in a statement. Combined with levy reductions from previous years, the total provincial tax saving for Manitoba homeowners is $92 million since 2000. "For the third year in a row, our government has delivered on our commitment to gradually phase out the education support levy on residential property," said Bjornson, "while upholding our commitment to ensure our children and youth have a high quality education." At the current levy rate, the province would have collected $73 million in education support levy this year. With the reduction, however, the province will take in $63 million. Changes in the education support levy reduce the mill rate used to calculate residential taxes. The residential mill rate will drop by 13.6 per cent to 4.56 mills. Bjornson said the province's commitment to phase out the levy has resulted in a cumulative property tax saving of $159 on a $125,000 home. Together with the $150 increase in the education property tax credit, the owners of the same house have received $309 in provincial property tax savings since 1999, while the seniors' education property tax credit was recently increased to $800.
