Dear Editor:
I was encouraged by the unofficial referendum and the response to the question about fixing the tax credit problem the mayor and council created. There was more than 65 per cent support for the question of support for a tax credit program.
Everyone knows we live in a society where our economy is fragile and based on confidence; confidence that investors will be treated fairly is necessary for them to come to our community, and likewise those us as taxpayers are treated fairly.
Mayor Sheldon Ibbotson has stated publicly at numerous meetings and in the press that the bylaws that were revoked were illegal. Well, I have news for the mayor; any bylaw that isn’t written correctly is illegal and requires correct wording as was apparent in the case of the tax credits council chose to revoked rather than fix.
Rimbey’s lawyers stated clearly council could have amended those bylaws to correct the flaws. They further stated council was legally allowed to extend tax considerations to any number of businesses by way of an incentive to attract investment.
It was made abundantly clear this past week that other communities in Alberta are aggressively pursuing business investment in their areas. The Town of Mundare has offered prime commercial building lots for the price of $1. They also have had an incentive tax credit program since 2008 that offers a forgiveness of municipal portions of their taxes at a rate of, 100 per cent during construction, 75 per cent in the first year, 50 per cent in the second year and 25 per cent in the third year. Their bylaw clearly states this incentive must be clarified by resolution each year. That is where Rimbey bylaw’s failed; they forgot to mention it must be passed each taxation year. That problem could have been fixed by administration and those promised tax breaks made to those businesses could have been honoured.
Will town council step up and do the honorable thing and correct those tax credits promised to those businesses and restore confidence in Rimbey’s business community?
Dave Karroll