Rocky View County's anticipated zero per cent tax rate increase was formalized at its Apr. 25 meeting by an unanimous vote, in contrast to the division between councillors over the same question last year.

The county will be collecting $111,048,400 in property taxes towards its $260,447,800 budget with an estimated $149,399,400 coming from other sources. The county has seen a 2.7 per cent increase, or $3.1 million, in assessment growth since last year.

RVC Reeve Greg Boehlke says a conscious effort to increase nonresidential operations has helped keep the county's residential property taxes among the lowest in the province.

"We've been very fortunate and I would say it was between luck and good management, but we've also been consciously trying to grow our nonresidential tax assessment and it has been success," says Boehlke

"Right now, the 24-25 per cent nonresidential assessment is paying about 50 per cent our of taxes."

A zero tax rate increase doesn't necessarily mean you''ll pay the same amount as last year. If your property assessment increased, likely your property taxes will go up. If it decreased, likely your taxes will decrease.

The county collects requisitions on behalf of other jurisdictions and you'll see these on your tax notice. Rocky View residents will see a 7.9 per cent tax increase in education taxes and there's  a 0.7 decrease in the requisition of the Rocky View Seniors Foundation.

Earlier in the meeting, the council placed its $6,144,658 surplus from 2016 into the tax stablization reserve. That follows a $7.5 million surplus last year.

In 2016, the zero pre cent increase decision was reached by a close 5-4 vote, with four members opting to support  the one per cent increase recommended by administration.