Claresholm councillor asking province for answers on education tax hike
By Lethbridge Herald on April 22, 2025.
By Mickey Dumont
Claresholm Local Press
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In its Budget 2025, the Alberta government has raised education property taxes and one Town of Claresholm councillor is inviting ministers to explain what will happen with the increase.
Speaking at a recent council meeting, Coun. Kieth Carlson said of the tax hike: “I wouldn’t mind seeing a letter written to the minister requesting some communication with towns that the budgets are going to increase at that 15 percent rate to the school system itself instead of trying to balance off shortcomings that our government seems to have already.
“My concern is that our taxpayers’ money isn’t being funnelled where it should be and how it should be. And with what looks like the potential for another $200,000 increase next year, that half a million dollars between our two schools and our community is desperately needed since we can’t currently fund enough teachers to provide core subjects in all the grades as it stands. And the effects have been quite challenging for the student body.
“So, yes, I would like to see a letter written to both Mr. McIver and the education minister and our MLA for some clarification.”
Claresholm is looking at a 15 percent increase, or an increase of about $220,000 extra from residential and non-residential ratepayers in the town, said Abe Tinney, Town of Claresholm Chief Administrator Officer. He added another increase is expected next year.
Municipalities collect the local property tax and also the provincial education tax through the education property tax requisition, which is forwarded to the province. Historically, the education property tax has been about a third (33 per cent). That has fallen in recent years to less than 30 per cent.
“Historically, approximately one-third of operational funding for Alberta Education came from the EPT municipalities collected from their ratepayers on behalf of the province. In recent years, the proportion that EPT contributes to funding the operations of Alberta Education has decreased to less than 30 percent,” Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver wrote in a letter to Alberta municipalities.
“Through Budget 2025, the Government of Alberta is increasing the proportion of Alberta Education’s operating budget covered by EPT to 31.6 percent in 2025/2026 and back to 33 percent in 2026/2027.”
McIver said the increase is “to provide Alberta’s public education system with a stable and sustainable source of funding and meet the demands of increased student enrollment, EPT revenue will increase by 14 percent from last year to a total of $3.1 billion. This increase will be reflected in the property tax bills that municipalities send to property owners in 2025.”
The minister also said in the letter, “Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge of the cost of living by helping families keep more money in their pockets with lower personal income taxes and continuing investments in education and health care.”
The town will write a letter to McIver, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, and MLA Chelsae Petrovic requesting details be provided on how the additional funds collected for education will go to the Town of Claresholm’s local schools rather than becoming part of a larger general budget for the provincial government.
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Mr. Carlson is asking a good question. Though he already knows the UCP are spineless ideologues who want the Municipalities to take the heat while the UCP boast another giveaway to foreign corporations through tax breaks and promises that the Alberta taxpayer will foot the bill for cleaning up after them once they are gone.
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