News Release

HRM Council Approves New Tax Structure

(Tuesday, December17/2002)--Halifax Regional Council approved recommendations put forward by the Tax Structure Committee today.

Under the new Tax Structure effective April 1st, 2003, all residents of HRM will share in the costs of fire protection and street lights. HRM will provide cost sharing for new recreation centers and cover the cost of necessary capital repairs needed for existing rural facilities.

"The Tax Structure will give communities with smaller tax bases the support they need to provide basic essential services such as fire protection," said Councillor Ron Cooper, Chair of the Tax Structure Committee.

Cooper continued," this is a change for the better and we want to ensure that all residents in the Halifax Regional Municipality have access to basic safety services regardless of where they work, live or travel within the Municipality."

For the majority of homeowners, the Tax implications is minimal. On average, 85 per cent of residents will see a decrease in their taxes. Approximately, 90 per cent of homeowners in HRM will see a change of less than $25 on the amount of taxes they pay.

For the past two years, a Council-Staff committee has been reviewing HRM's Tax Structure. A series of 14 public meetings were held throughout the Municipality in September and October 2002.

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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010

Councillor Ron Cooper (District 4-- Cole Harbour North/Cherry Brook)
Chair, HRM Tax Structure Committee
(902) 488-4804)

The Following Tax Structure recommendations were approved by Halifax Regional Council on December 17, 2002:

• That the following services be included in the Base or General Tax Rate:

• volunteer and core fire departments

• street lighting

• Cost sharing on capital upgrades for existing Recreational Facilities

• Cost sharing on the construction and acquisition of new Local and Regional Recreational Facilities

• Capital repairs for existing recreation and community facilities (on a go forward basis)

• the HRM call centre

• That Local Improvement Charges on curb and gutter be eliminated and the service included in the Urban General Tax Rate.

• That Council accept in principle that all areas of HRM with access to Metro Transit should share equally in the cost of Metro Transit. Staff would return with a final list of such areas in the 2003/2004 Proposed Budget.

• That the $0.05 transfer from Urban/Suburban to Rural general tax rates be eliminated

• That volunteer fire departments' retain any balance in current surplus accounts after having been used to pay down any existing area rated debt. The HRM General Tax Rate will absorb any remaining fire debt including that for projects which have been approved but are uncompleted. Any existing fire capital project funded through area rated debt will become eligible for Crespool. Any future fire operating surpluses or deficits will be placed against the HRM general tax rate. These changes will be effective

January 1, 2003

• This Tax Structure proposal be will effective April 1st, 2003