The Summerland Legion will have a reduction in its taxes next year as municipal council granted an exemption on the non-profit portion of the Legion’s tax bill.
The taxes from the commercial portion of the Legion remain unchanged.
This works out to a 35 per cent reduction in the total taxes the Legion must pay.
Coun. Bruce Hallquist said this is the only change to permissive tax exemptions for the coming year.
Mayor Janice Perrino said permissive tax exemptions are granted if non-profit organizations apply and prove a need.
“We felt there was a need,” Hallquist added.
The Legion has been struggling financially in recent years, he said.
The money from the exemption will go to the operations of the Legion.
Hallquist said exemptions are not granted permanently and in the early 2000s, many exemptions were phased out.
While the Legion receives lottery funding, Coun. Robert Hacking said that money is not used to fund its normal operations.
Coun. Martin Van Alphen said the tax exemption is necessary.
“We need to assist them,” he said. “They do so much for our community.
The bylaws to grant general statutory tax exemptions and specific tax exemptions for 2013 were given first three readings. They were passed unanimously. Coun. Lloyd Christopherson was not present for the resolution.