Funding Municipal Property Tax Support Programs from Provincial Grants
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association request that the Government of Alberta amend the funding guidelines of its Alberta Affordable Housing Program (Block Funding Initiative) to permit municipal property tax support grants as a qualifying expense.
WHEREAS many Alberta senior citizens live on lower fixed incomes, and may face considerable challenges in continuing to remain in their homes;
WHEREAS rising provincial and municipal property taxation can contribute to financial hardship amongst these lower income senior homeowners;
WHEREAS it is both beneficial and cost effective for seniors to remain in their own homes rather than entering subsidized housing projects or other housing alternatives which reduce their quality of life;
WHEREAS section 3 of the Alberta Municipal Government Act permits a municipality to provide property tax assistance to ratepayers, including lower income senior homeowners;
WHEREAS municipalities have neither the financial resources, nor the role, to redistribute income at the local level;
WHEREAS providing property tax assistance to lower income households is closely related to the goals of affordable housing; and
WHEREAS the Province of Alberta offers an Affordable Housing Grant program to municipalities, which currently does not permit property tax assistance as an eligible expense.