M.D. of Northern Lights
Finance
Methods of Payment
The Municipal District of Northern Lights accepts payment by any of the following ways: cash, cheque, telebanking, on line, credit card or debit card.
The Municipal District of Northern Lights No. 22 has set up "Telepay" at all the following banks: TD Canada Trust, CIBC, Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal, Scotia Bank, ATB Financial and the Caisse Horizon Credit Union Ltd.-Manning Branch.
"Telepay" and On Line enables customers to pay their MD taxes, Accounts Receivable, Truckfill Accounts and Utility Accounts through their bank, on-line, by telephone banking and in person at the banks listed above. When paying in person they must have the remittance portion of the invoice/s or tax notice/s.
For those who still like to do things the "tried and true" way and prefer the personal touch, we are always happy to see you at the Municipal Services Building in Manning.
We DO NOT accept payments for property taxes via credit cards.
The property tax base is the primary revenue source for MD#22 enabling it to provide services under the following programs: Protective Services [fire, emergency preparedness, bylaw enforcement], Transportation [road networks, airport, drainage], Utilities [water, sewer, waste disposal], Public Health/Welfare [FCSS], Planning & Development [zoning – subdivision – development of lands], Agricultural Services [rental equipment, special programs, research], and Recreation & Culture [parks, halls, libraries, museums].
Property taxes are also a key source of revenue for the education system. Close to one-half of all property tax revenues goes to the provincial government for eventual redistribution to local school boards.
Property Taxes
2010 Combined Assessment & Tax Notice (click on link)
Property taxes are calculated by applying the tax rates, as set by MD#22 bylaw each year, for each category or subcategory of property, to the assessed values of those properties. Tax rates are generally calculated on the basis of “mills”; one mill equates to $1 per every $1,000 of assessment.
Therefore, if the assessed value of a residence is $100,000 and the tax rate set by MD#22 for residential purposes is 7 mills, then the municipal portion of the property taxes for that particular property would be $700.
Similar calculations would then be made to determine the education portion of the property taxes for each parcel. Again, using the example of the $100,000 residence the education tax rate might be set at 7.3 mills, based on the provincial requisition. Thus, the education portion of the property tax would be $730, for a combined total property tax bill of $1430.00.
User Fees
MD#22 has implemented user fees for particular services in an effort to fund some programs on a cost recovery basis rather than just through the property tax base.
Grants
In the past, grants from provincial and federal governments played important roles in helping MD#22 fund various programs and services. However the rising and falling economy also plays havoc with government budgets so one cannot always count on successfully obtaining grants.
It is noteworthy that MD#22 [among other rural municipalities] continues to receive provincial transportation grants for road and bridge work; provincial grants to assist with the ASB Program, FCSS Program, and drainage rehabilitation.