The County of Grande Prairie has finalized its 2015 budget, and residential home owners will see their property taxes go up 5.54 per cent. That means the average home assessed at $315,000 will be paying an extra $108, while farmland taxes are virtually the same as in 2014.
This year’s capital budget is pegged at $27.8, much of which is going towards capital road projects like paving Range Road 111, Mercer Hill Road, and Clairmont Parkway. There’s also another $6.2 million set aside for displays and landscaping at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, and $7.2 million for vehicle and equipment replacement.
The County has set aside $4.98 million for community grants in its final 2015 budget. They include 150-thousand over three years for the Teepee Creek Ag Events Centre, $125,000 for a backup generator at Evergreen Park, and nearly $77,000 for FCSS programs in Beaverlodge, Hythe Sexsmith and Wembley.
Also in the operating budget is $150,000 for their half of a regional Parks and Recreation Master Plan with the City, and the hiring of 12 new employees.