PAL AT
DUNE

APR 29 1974,

TO: Mayor and Council : April 26, 1974

FROM: L.D. Pollock,
City Administrator

RE: Changes in Assessment Legislation

My report to Council regarding changes in assessment legislation was tabled
for one week pending further information.

We have contacted the Assessment Commissioner's office as well as the Department
Municipal Affairs regarding the assessment changes and have determined the
following:

1. The letter from the Assessment Commissioner's office is, in fact, an
order and as such our Assessor is obliged to comply.

2. Amendments are being prepared to the Assessment Equalization Act that will
enable us to institute 100% valuation for vhe 1975 roll.

3. It would appear that all assessment juzisdictions are gearing up for
reassessment on the basis of the order.

Further to my last report I would like Council to authorize adding one
Appraiser trainee to the Assessment Department staff to get this work under
-way. I believe that Council is well aware of the problems that we have been
facing in our Assessment Roll that have resulted from the limitations involved
by existing legislation. Due to these limitations residential properties are
on our present roll at around 30% of market where commercial and certain vacant
land appear on the roll at 50% of market. There is nothing that we can do to
change the situation for the 1974 roll, however, the opportunity does exist now
to bring everything to a common base for the 1975 roll.

I advised Council that the workload would necessitate the hiring of an Appraiser
trainee and have attached a copy of a report from the Assessor confirming this
request. We are in the process of hiring an Appraise: to fill a vacancy presently
existing in the Assessment Department and it would be appropriate to consider the
additional Appraiser trainee's position at this time. I would, therefore, ask
Council's approval for the hiring of one Appraiser trainee for the Assessment
Department.

LDP:da