By Lara Fominoff @LaraFominoff on Twitter

City increases incentive to pay property taxes early

Dec 13, 2017 | 10:33 AM

LETHBRIDGE – For those who want to pay their 2018 property taxes early, there will be a bit more of an incentive to do so.
 
At Monday’s meeting, council approved Bylaw 6090- Incentives for Prepayments, Penalty on Unpaid Taxes and Deferral of Taxes. It goes into effect Jan. 1, 2018.
 
If paid by the end of February, there will be a 1.25 per cent discount  for property owners. The previous discount in 2017 was one per cent.

The incentive does not apply to those who are currently on the TIPP (Tax Installment Pre-Payment Plan), but the city is looking at potentially including them in 2019. 
 
There will not be any changes to the tax deferral or penalty program in 2018.
 
Last January and February, 994 property owners paid $1,165,677 in taxes early, and received $5,195 in pre-payment incentive discounts.
 
Property taxes in the City of Lethbridge are due by 4:30 p.m. on the last business day in June.