Farm Land Tax Rebate Program
Res #: 16-02M
Number: 16
Year: 2002
Midterm: Yes
Expired: Yes
Responses Received: No
Resolution No. 16-02M
BE IT RESOLVED, that SARM lobby the Provincial Government to reinstate the Farm Land Education Tax Rebate Program with the following modifications:
– remove the home quarter exemption;
– have the rebate deducted at the RM office;
– increase the rebate from 25% to 40% in order to alleviate the education tax burden on agricultural property.
Response From Honourable Clay Serby:
The Farm Land Tax Rebate Program was established as a two-year program to cover the years 2000 and 2001. The program ended with the provision of rebates for the 2001 taxation year.
The Government of Saskatchewan recognizes that this is a very stressful time for many farm families. It is our view that the $14.2 million increase from the 2001 calendar year to 2002 in the Department of Learning budget for school boards will, in part negate the need for the Property Tax Rebate Program. This is the second consecutive provincial budget that has seen significant increases in the Department of Learning's budget. In addition, the Government recognizes that it costs more to educate students in rural Saskatchewan than in our two major cities, and the Foundation Operating Grant formula provides recognized expenditures for rural students that are 30 per cent higher than in the cities of Regina and Saskatoon.
As a follow up to the Action Committee on the Rural Economy (ACRE) final report, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Rural Strategy Framework on December 3, 2002. Under the Rural Strategy Framework, the Provincial Government will ensure education property tax issues are considered when reviewing municipal property tax tools, review the current percentage of value for each property class as a part of the 2005 reassessment, and assess the options in the area of financing education.
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