SAMA 2015 AGM

Today was SAMA's, SK Assessment Management Agency, AGM. This past December SUMA appointed me to SAMA's advisory council representing municipalities under 30,000. Here are some of the things I learned today.

SAMA Convention. April 15, 2015

• the purpose of assessments are to provide revenue for municipalities to preserve local autonomy;
• assessments developed $1.73 billion in revenue for municipalities and education;
• assessed property in Saskatchewan totals $160 billion;
• SAMA has reduced staffing levels by more than half since the 2005-2008 revaluation cycle;
• SAMA want to revalue all property every 4 years;
• some municipalities have not been revalued since 1989;
• observation: SAMA looks at revenue significantly different than I do;
• SAMA goal for 2018 is to complete 100,000 property reviews per year;
• SMB is having challenges keeping up with appeals;

Some Trends (all calculations are preliminary)

• property value increases range from 11% for mine resource production equipment to 120% for arable agriculture land (tentative);
• residential across the province is up 20%;
• oil and gas is up 15%;
• elevators are up 25%;

Should you go to SAMA's site you can see the assessed value of your property.