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Stelmach promises to consider giving back school boards' power to tax

Last Updated: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 | 6:20 PM ET

CBC News

The Alberta government will consider giving local school boards back the taxing powers they lost 14 years ago, Premier Ed Stelmach said Tuesday.

Stelmach was following up on statements made last week by Education Minister, Dave Hancock, who said that it may be time to allow school boards to raise their own funds in the community to make sure local priorities are addressed.

Hancock continued with that theme telling a parents' group that the present formula for funding school construction is "absolutely insane."

'If school boards come forward with ideas and they improve the system ... then we'll certainly listen and give it full debate around the caucus table'—Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach

The premier told reporters at the Alberta legislature Tuesday that Hancock was simply expressing some ideas about school taxation "to get the discussion going."

But he pledged to consider changing the present system.

"We can always work towards bettering the system," said the premier.

"If school boards come forward with ideas and they improve the system ... then we'll certainly listen and give it full debate around the caucus table."

Until the mid 1990s, school boards collected their own local property taxes from homeowners in their communities.

The Klein government took those taxing powers away, and since then, all education taxes collected across the province are pooled and re-distributed by the provincial government.

Many trustees have argued for the taxing powers to be returned.

Stelmach said any changes in the system must preserve the principle of fairness so poorer school districts are not left behind.

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