For Immediate Release
Revenue Sharing in 2017-2018
The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) is urging the Provincial Government to retain the current PST funding model in the 2017-2018 Provincial Budget.
Each year rural municipalities (RM) are expected to maintain services for local ratepayers and industry under the pressure of rising costs. RMs are responsible for the extensive transportation networks that are essential to the provincial economy that benefits all residents. The costs associated with maintaining and upgrading this network are primarily borne by the local tax base, as there are only a few streams of alternative revenue that RMs are able to access to help offset the expenses; municipal revenue sharing (MRS) is one of these streams.
Since its inception, MRS has been a consistent funding source that all RMs, regardless of size, have come to rely upon. The province as a whole reaps the benefits of revenue sharing as funds received by RMs give them the ability to meet some of industry’s infrastructure requirements while continuing to provide important services to their own ratepayers.
“SARM recognizes that the current economic climate means this will be a tough budget year,” says President Ray Orb. “However, investment in rural Saskatchewan continues to be fundamental to the economic stability of our province.”
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For more information please contact:Jay MeyerExecutive Director(306) 761-3721
“SARM, the Voice of Rural Saskatchewan”