TAX DECREASE
The Village of Telkwa has slightly lowered the property tax rate for residential and business taxpayers for 2021.
At its April 27 meeting, council passed first, second and third readings of the Tax Rates Bylaw.
Residential ratepayers will pay $3.85 per $1,000 of assessment this year compared to $4.24 in 2020.
Businesses will pay approximately three cents less per $1,000 coming in $9.82 versus $9.85.
This does not mean, however, that some tax bills will not be going up. The Village was able to lower taxes while maintaining revenue because property assessments for Telkwa rose dramatically in 2021.
The average property in the village went from $293,000 the year before to $332,000 this year.
Telkwa’s anticipated property tax revenue for 2021 is $876,261, exactly the same as 2020.
Light Industrial and Recreation property owners will see increases. The rate for Light Industrial is $16.34 per $1,000 up from $11.69.
Recreation ratepayers will pay $4.24 compared to $3.85 last year.
PICKLEBALLED
The surface at the outdoor rink in Telkwa will be getting a facelift.
In a presentation to council Chris DeYoung on behalf of the Bulkley Valley Pickleball Association sought permission to paint pickleball lines on the court.
The association members will supply the paint and labour.
Although pickleball has been around for nearly 60 years, it has only recently started growing in popularity in the north.
Pickleball is kind of like a cross between tennis and badminton played with a hard plastic ball with holes and paddles like large ping pong paddles over a tennis net.
The court is 20 feet by 44 feet, slightly longer and slightly narrower than the service box areas of a tennis court. Each side of the net is divided into two 15 x 10 service areas with a seven-foot no volley zone next to the net.
FINANCIAL PLAN
Council has passed first and second readings of its Five Year Financial Plan (2021-2025).
Telkwa’s total budget for 2021 is just over $11 million. This is very high due to large ticket infrastructure projects currently underway.
The budget for 2o21 includes over $6 million in grants that will largely be spent this year. That drops off to $2 million in 2022 and less than $1 million for the three remaining years of the plan.
