Weyburn City Council voted on changes to the mill rates for property taxes in the city. The motion passed by a vote of 6-1, with Councillor Dick Michel being the only dissenting vote. The changes to the mill rate will see the ratio between commercial and residential property tax fall from 1.92 to 1.88.

The changes will see the mill rate for agriculture property increase from 2.558 mills to 5.000 mills, which will result in an increase of $750. The mill rate for railway property will increase from 11.431 to 22.000 mills, which will see an increase in total revenue of $43.105.

With the agriculture and railway mill rate increases, the commercial mill rate will be decreased, and a mill rate with base tax of 5.981 for residential property. This will see the commercial property tax on a property with an assessed value of $300,000 decrease by $13.70 for the year, while the residential property tax for a property valued at $300,000 will see an increase of $0.97 for the year.

“I get that there might an argument to say that on a $300,000 assessment, $13.70 decrease in taxes isn’t going to make much difference, and it might not, but what’s important is that it’s not an increase,” said Councillor Jeff Richards during the meeting.  

Councillor Ryan Janke was also in favour of the changes.

“I would rather see a tiny increase on residential than risk being the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back and put any business out and cause somebody to lose their job and then not be able to make their rent or a payment at all,” Janke said.

The lone dissenting voice, Councillor Michel, pointed that the slight increase in residential property tax comes the same year the hospital levy will no longer be included on the tax bill.

“I think the residents of this city have done their share of paying,” Michel said during the meeting. “The hospital is a worthy thing, don’t get me wrong, but the residential people paid a lot for that, and in saying that I will not support this motion.”

With the changes introduced, the ratio of commercial to residential property tax is closer to what is found in Regina and Saskatoon, where the ratios are 1.74 and 1.72 respectively.