Total property tax arrears in Moose Jaw for the third quarter of this year were $500,471 more compared to the same time last year, although city administration says this area is still in “very good shape.”
For the period July to September, the amount of total arrears that property owners owed the City of Moose Jaw was $1,815,840, including $1.1 million in property tax liens and $695,916 in arrears that were part of a city hall repayment plan.
In comparison, as of Sept. 30, 2019, there were $1,315,369 in total outstanding arrears, including $1.17 million in property tax liens and $144,169 in arrears that were part of a repayment plan.
As of Sept. 30, 2018, there was $1.2 million in outstanding arrears that property owners owed. This included $1.1 million in property tax liens and $110,701 worth of arrears being repaid through a plan.
City administration presented a report about the amount of outstanding property taxes during the most recent city council meeting. The information was part of an overall document that looked at third-quarter data for this year.
“Overall, our arrears and collections are slightly behind 2019 levels, but because of the pandemic, we’re still in very good shape,” said finance director Brian Acker.
The amount of overall property taxes that city hall received — or could have received — in the third quarter was $9.2 million, including $7.4 million in current taxes and $1.8 million in arrears.
The amount of property taxes that city hall could or did receive in past years ending Sept. 30, including total, current, and arrears, was:
- 2019: $8.2 million / $6.4 million / $1.3 million
- 2018: $8.1 million / $6.9 million / $1.2 million
- 2017: $7.6 million / $6.8 million / $854,822
- 2016: $6.7 million / $6.01 million / $753,878
- 2015: $6.1 million / $5.5 million / $651,632
Borrowing
The third-quarter report also listed the amount of money that the City of Moose Jaw owes on the loans it borrowed to finance projects.
As of Sept. 30, the principal amount still left included:
- $13.8 million on the multiplex long-term loan
- $3.8 million on the sanitary sewer long-term loan
- $27 million on the waterworks capital long-term loan
- $10.8 million on the Buffalo Pound Water Corporation long-term loan at 26-per-cent interest
A report on the fourth quarter of 2020 will likely be presented early in the new year.
The next regular city council meeting is Monday, Dec. 7.
