Town of McLennan CAO explains implementation of minimum tax

Emily Plihal
Special to the Express

Town of McLennan council decided to implement a new minimum tax on vacant properties, garnishing a variety of responses from tax payers.

Any property below a $22,000 assessment will now be taxed with the minimum current tax of $500.

“Because we have a number of individuals that have a number of properties which they promised to develop within a year time, we’ve had to implement the minimum tax,” says Town of McLennan CAO Tammy Stout.

“We are hoping the minimum tax will motivate them to develop or sell them.”

Stout explains there are many maintenance costs accrued by the town each year, and the council feels each property owner should be helping with the maintenance of the town.

She explains things such as sewers, roads, and general upkeep of the town requires a large sum of money to maintain.

“We have had a number of phone calls from disgruntled property owners,” says Stout. “We have done this to help with the operational cost of the town.”

Previous tax assessments on vacant properties were as small as $40 or $50 per year. The service lines surrounding these properties, as well as the roads and other services still had to be maintained.

Thus, the minimum tax was implemented to off-set the accrued cost.

“Those who have already developed their properties are carrying the burden of maintaining the town via taxes,” says Stout. “With a minimum tax, each individual property owner is helping with the maintenance of the town.”

Stout explains with a higher assessment, council will have more money to operate the town.

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