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