FORT FRANCES—Council on Monday night received a proposed plan from the Fort Frances Curling Club to pay off some of the $74,000 in taxes owing to the town, and adjust its taxes so it can avoid falling behind in the future.
In a letter from the club’s board of directors, the board proposed that from now on, the club pay the town $1,000 a month for the seven months of the year it is open.
Under its current assessment, the club pays about $2,000/month.
“We feel this would be a manageable situation for years to come,” the board wrote.
With respect to its arrears, the board said it has paid three of four tax instalments for 2004, amounting to $21,000, and that the last payment should be waived.
For 2005 and 2006, the board is proposing to pay $7,000 for each year immediately—equalling a sum of $14,000.
If council were to agree to this proposal, it would mean a total shortfall of $50,464.31 for the town for the tax years 2004-06, town treasurer Laurie Witherspoon noted in a written report to council.
This shortfall breaks down as follows: $10,455.68 in outstanding taxes and interest from 2004; $29,853.61 in outstanding taxes and interest from 2005, and $10,155.02 in outstanding taxes and interest from 2006.
(The 2006 total is lower as it factors in a charitable rebate of $9,640.45).
In 2007 and future years, the shortfall to the town would be about $14,500 plus any annual levy increases (this amount is in anticipation that the curling club applies for the 40 percent charitable rebate each year).
Altogether, the total budget impact for 2007 would be nearly $65,000.
The board stressed in its letter that council should keep in mind that if the curling club was a municipally-owned recreation facility, the town would be receiving no tax dollars.
Council received the curling club’s request and referred it to the 2007 budget process, with the intention to put it on the agenda at its next budget meeting scheduled for Jan. 29.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
