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Vol. 130 No. 11 Friday, May 25, 2012 Minnedosa, Manitoba Canada R0J 1E0 90 cents + tax

Town taxes increase 3% overall

Budget increases $76,358.83
By RICHARD DAVIES

CP employees off the rails

he 2012 fi nancial plan for the Town of Minnedosa has increased $76,358.83 over last year to sit at $4,099,974.46. Th Net Municipal Taxes and Grants in Lieu e of Taxes are budgeted with an amount of $2,537,850.47, an increase of $45,860.54 over last year. Th town has set an increase of 3% in taxes. The mue nicipal portion increased 2.37% and the school taxes increased 4.3%. Th big impact on taxes this year is because it was e a reassessment year in which all properties are based on April 1st, 2010 market values, stated Town ACAO Chris Yuen. Th has been a shift in assessment between comere mercial and residential properties. Residential properties received an average increase in assessment of roughly 25% while the commercial properties received an average increase in assessment of roughly 2%. This means that there is a slightly larger burden of total tax revenue to the residential class. Everyone will be aff ected, Ray Orr but some will see their taxes Minnedosa Mayor increase more than others. Yuen said, Everyone will see diff erent increases on their taxes, based on how much their assessment has increased from this year compared to last year. Properties with a higher percentage assessment increase from 2011 to 2012 will receive a larger gross amount increase on their tax bill as compared to similarly assessed properties with a lower percentage assessments increase. Mayor Ray Orr said of the budget, We had to come up with a certain number of dollars to operate the towns operations, capital programs, etc..; to come up with those dollars, it was necessary for us to have this increase. In the fi nancial plan, Transportation Services increased $142,080.00 to $840,580.00.

It was necessary for us to have this increase

Photo by Richard Davies

Teamsters Canada Rail Conference #668 Union members picket along Main Street Wednesday afternoon. Locally, some 60-70 employees walked the picket line in support of the nationwide strike.
By RICHARD DAVIES ince 12:01 early Wednesday morning, members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) union have been on strike. Around 60-70 TCRC #668 Union members from Minnedosa join 4,800 TCRC members nationwide to walk the picket lines. Th ere has been a breakdown between management and employees as Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) wants to create major changes to its operations. Th strike comes at a time e of a management change as CPs CEO Fred Green left the company last week. Th e federal government responded to the strike early on Wednesday. Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt says that she will be giving notice of legislation to send CPs employees back to work if both sides do not come to an agreement. If they cannot conclude their deal, we will have the ability to intervene, she said in a news conference in Ottawa. CP did not ask for the legislation, however, the government is putting this forward in the interest of the Canadian economy. Raitt said, The government is concerned about the national economic significance this will have and we are prepared to act in the interest of the national economy.

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