Tax Inquiry Clerk (Clerk III)
Job Number0990 Classification Title: Clerk III Job Posting: Apr 8, 2008 - Apr 15, 2008 Union: CSU 52
Number of Openings (approximation): 4 - Temporary - Full-time
Department:Taxation Section (Planning and Development Department)
Work Location(s)
1 Sir Winston Churchill Square
T5J 2R7
Description
These temporary positions are for approximately four (4) months.
The Customer Services Office of the Assessment and Taxation Branch is seeking a highly motivated individual for the position of Tax Inquiry Clerk. Primary responsibility includes providing accurate, complete and timely information to the Public regarding legislation and regulations governing assessment and taxation. Information will be provided in response to counter, telephone and written inquiries. Additional responsibilities include:• Explaining policies, municipal bylaws and provincial legislation in a clear and concise manner;• Accessing various computer applications to research information regarding business and property taxes, assessments, mill rates, legal descriptions and tax account status;• Assisting taxpayers in completing application forms for various payment programs and ensuring that criteria are met;• Preparing written correspondence in response to customer inquiries;• Issuing tax certificates and tax searches;• Processing payments, inputting data and filing;• Liaising with co-workers, other agencies and City departments to resolve customer concerns
Qualifications
• Completion of the twelfth (12th) school grade with emphasis on business subjects or completion of an appropriate certificate program from an approved business school/college. A Customer Service Certificate is desirable.• Three years of progressively responsible customer service experience including two years of direct public contact explaining policy and legislation.• Proficiency using PC software including MS Word, Excel and Outlook.• Experience with POSSE and TACS is preferable.• A demonstrated ability to maintain stable performance and a high standard of thoroughness, accuracy and attention to detail while managing a heavy volume of customer inquiries.• Basic knowledge of City bylaws and provincial legislation governing assessment and taxation. • Ability to solve problems and make decisions while being organizationally sensitive.• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Note: Applicants may be tested.
HOURS OF WORK: 33.75 hours per week, Monday — Friday. Hours of work may be subject to the terms and conditions of a variable hours of work program.
SALARY RANGE: 21M, Salary Grade: 012, $19.969- $25.03 (Hourly), $1,347.91 - $1,690.13 (Bi-Weekly), $35,180.39- $44,112.46 (Annually). The rates quoted are in accordance with a collective agreement between the Union and the City of Edmonton.
GENERAL: Civic Service Union 52 members are requested to send a copy of their application for this competition to the union office. The City of Edmonton thanks all applicants for their interest in this employment opportunity; however, only those candidates considered for the position will be contacted.
HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT: DP/MW
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mill rate
Definition
The tax per dollar of assessed value of property. The rate is expressed in "mills", where one mill is one-tenth of a cent ($0.001).
How does the City decide how much to collect from property taxes?
1: City Council sets the budget based on citizens’ priorities.
Every November, City Council hears submissions from City departments and citizens about priority services and how much money is needed to operate the City the following calendar year. In December 2007, Council set a budget based on Edmontonians’ priorities, which included better snow removal, road repairs, environmental protection and continued high levels of police and emergency response services.
2: The City projects how much revenue it expects
to receive.
The City receives most of its funds from grants (e.g., provincial funding), user fees, permits, fines and investment earnings.
3: The City calculates the remaining revenue requirement.
The City calculates the shortfall between our budget need and our main sources of revenue.
This remainder is the amount we need to collect from business and property taxes. Approximately 15% of the total budget for City services, amenities and infrastructure comes from residential property taxes.
4: The City determines each property owner’s “fair share”
of the property tax requirement.
The City does NOT just split up the total property tax requirement between households. Instead, each property owner is asked to contribute their “fair share” based on the market value of their property relative to the value of other properties.
The City calculates fair share according to the market value assessment for each property. If your home is worth more than your neighbour’s, then your taxes will be higher.
.. The method used to calculate the value of your property is called market value
assessment (MVA). According to provincial legislation, the City is required to update
your property assessment annually, based on MVA.
The City’s professional assessors use many of the same factors to determine property
values as real estate agents use. They consider the selling price of similar properties,
and other factors such as the dwelling’s age, location, lot and building size, condition,
views and green spaces.
As provincially legislated in the Municipal Government Act, your assessment must
reflect the market value of your property on July 1 of the year prior. This means your
2008 assessment notice actually reflects the value of your property as of July 1, 2007.
Plus, if you made any physical changes to your property between July 1 and December
31, 2007, the value of these changes is included in the assessment for the 2008 tax
year. Changes might include a new garage or deck, an addition, or a renovation.
Assessed values get checked at three points: by the City’s internal checks and
balances; by the Province’s audit process; and finally by individual property owners. It’s
a rigorous system.
Market value assessment is a fair process
Market value assessment (MVA) ensures that homes with similar characteristics, within
the same community or a similar community, are assessed similarly. More importantly,
it ensures that properties with similar market values are assigned a similar fair share of
property taxes.
MVA is transparent
Market value assessment is becoming a standard property tax assessment tool
throughout the world. It is regarded as fair and transparent to the homeowner because
market value assessment uses obvious and readily available factors.
2007 property values
In 2007, the market value assessment for all residential properties in Edmonton
increased by an average of about 65%. However, the average tax increase will be
about 7.5%.
The City determines the total tax requirement based on the budget needed to
provide services for citizens. Property values are only used to determine the
distribution of the tax requirement. Your assessed property value determines
your share of the total tax requirement in the budget.
Market value assessment is revenue neutral. This means an increase in the
combined market value of all properties in Edmonton does not increase the
overall tax revenue.
If property values across the City go up – or down – in any given year, it
doesn’t change the total amount the City collects in property taxes, but your
fair share may change. The taxes will be redistributed among property owners
each year according to how your property value changes in comparison to all
other properties.
Key facts about property taxes:
• The City determines the revenue it needs from property taxes to cover a
portion of the budget.
• Property values are only used to determine how the total tax revenue
requirement is distributed.
• Tax revenue from new properties lags behind costs incurred to
extend essential services to these new properties.
• For 2008, the City approved a tax increase of about 7.5% to cover
the increased costs of delivering services that are important
to Edmontonians.
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