CHAT News File Photo

By Chris Brown

Large swings in payments

Fluctuation of property tax payments catching some off guard

May 27, 2021 | 3:01 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Some Medicine Hat residents got a shock when property tax bills arrived this month, seeing a large jump in their monthly payments for the second half of the year compared to what they paid in the first half.

But the City of Medicine Hat says it’s not an across-the-board increase and that just as many people have seen a drastic decrease in their monthly payments.

Small differences aren’t unusual, according to a statement from Terra Petryshyn from the city’s corporate communications department.

“The difference this year is the magnitude of the fluctuation, which is a product resulting from the deferred tax due date in 2020 due to COVID-19,” the statement reads. “When customers usually pay the grandfathered rate for six months, they now paid it for eight months, resulting in a larger than usual swing for the latter four months of 2020 (again, either increased or decreased), and subsequently, a somewhat unordinary payment for the first six months of 2021. In order to stabilize, a matching large swing must occur this year, before returning to the more typical standard fluctuation.”

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The city encourages anyone struggling to make payments to contact the city’s collections team at collections@medicinehat.ca or 403-529-8113 to discuss options

The final tax payment owed by an individual is a factor comprised of a number of key elements, says the city. Elements include assessed property values, current market conditions, and the council-approved tax revenue required to maintain the city’s budget to provide service to our community.