June 19, 2019 – The Municipal District of Bonnyville tax notices are being mailed out this week. M.D. residents should receive their notice by the end of June. Payment is due Monday, September 16, 2019, as the mandated September 15 date falls on a Sunday this year.
Calvin Bespalko, Manager of Administrative Services, says M.D. residents have 60 days from June 28, the Notice of Assessment Date, to make an appeal on their taxes. Details about the appeal process are on the back of the tax notice. The property owners appeal date will appear on the top, right hand corner of the tax notice. “Property owners who want to appeal their assessment, or if they have any questions about their property tax assessment, should contact our M.D. assessors at 780-826-3171. Our assessors will go through the assessment details of your notice with you.”
Bespalko says from July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018, there were areas of the M.D. that experienced market value decreases of zero to 15 percent. “We did see a couple of residential areas that did not experience a market value decrease. Areas around Marie Lake and Cold Lake saw market values remain relatively the same. Crane Lake did experience a market value increase due to sales that occurred in that area.”
What does this all mean for a person’s property tax bill? If you saw a property assessment decrease of four to 15 percent, then you should see anywhere from a one to 12 percent decrease on your tax notice.
In 2019, the M.D. is collecting $62 million in municipal taxes, 81 percent of the total comes from the oil and gas Non-Residential tax base, eight percent from Residential and one percent from Farm taxes.
Bespalko emphasized that all of the M.D.’s property tax analysis and conclusions are audited by the province to ensure the valuation conclusions are accurate.
If you do not receive your M.D. tax notice by mid-July, please call the administration office at 780-826-3171 for assistance. Under provincial legislation, it is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain proper records with the municipality and to pay their taxes by the due date of September 16, 2019.