Brantford Property Taxes
Brantford property taxes have been set for this year with a 3.4% increase. This is well above the rate of inflation and way more than the 2.5% increase in the Canada Pension Plan benefits for 2009. Once again seniors are falling further behind because of City Council's lavish spending ways. It is too bad that no one on Council considers the seniors or those other on fixed income. City taxpayers are seen as a never ending source of money by this Council. And this at a time when Canada is in a recession if not the start of a depression.
And in reality the increase is far greater than this 3.4% as the average home owner has seen their property assessment increase by at least 5% for this year meaning that the actual increase is closer to 9%. Why does Council not take this assessment increase into consideration when setting the new tax rate? Homeowners should really be seeing a decrease in the tax rate not an increase. And we all know that the windfall that will result will not be returned to the taxpayer or used to reduce taxes next year but will be used on some new hair-brained scheme of this Council like the huge cost of expropriating those buildings on Colborne St.
It's time that the whole property tax system was revised. Because of reduced incomes and greater deductions to help them cope, both Federal and and Provincial Income Taxes are reduced as a person becomes a senior. Not so with property taxes. No matter how much a senior's income decreases they must cut corners to pay the ever rising property taxes. Many seniors pay far more in municipal property taxes than their combined total of Federal and Provincial Income Taxes. Does that seem right? Maybe a municipal income tax is now the way to go.
Another option might be for a standardized tax rate for every property in the City regardless of the assessed value. Every house would pay the same amount. Not sure if this would increase or decrease the average tax bill but might be fairer too. After all why should one household pay more for the same services than any other household? The owners $400,000 house don't get any more fire or police protection or snow plowing etc. than the owners of a $100,000 house do. And under this plan some accommodation could be made for seniors as well.
Whatever is done City property taxes must be held to reasonable rates not these wild spending increases or soon more and more people especially seniors will be force out of their longtime homes thanks to this inept and uncaring council.
And in reality the increase is far greater than this 3.4% as the average home owner has seen their property assessment increase by at least 5% for this year meaning that the actual increase is closer to 9%. Why does Council not take this assessment increase into consideration when setting the new tax rate? Homeowners should really be seeing a decrease in the tax rate not an increase. And we all know that the windfall that will result will not be returned to the taxpayer or used to reduce taxes next year but will be used on some new hair-brained scheme of this Council like the huge cost of expropriating those buildings on Colborne St.
It's time that the whole property tax system was revised. Because of reduced incomes and greater deductions to help them cope, both Federal and and Provincial Income Taxes are reduced as a person becomes a senior. Not so with property taxes. No matter how much a senior's income decreases they must cut corners to pay the ever rising property taxes. Many seniors pay far more in municipal property taxes than their combined total of Federal and Provincial Income Taxes. Does that seem right? Maybe a municipal income tax is now the way to go.
Another option might be for a standardized tax rate for every property in the City regardless of the assessed value. Every house would pay the same amount. Not sure if this would increase or decrease the average tax bill but might be fairer too. After all why should one household pay more for the same services than any other household? The owners $400,000 house don't get any more fire or police protection or snow plowing etc. than the owners of a $100,000 house do. And under this plan some accommodation could be made for seniors as well.
Whatever is done City property taxes must be held to reasonable rates not these wild spending increases or soon more and more people especially seniors will be force out of their longtime homes thanks to this inept and uncaring council.
posted by The Grouchy Old Man at 2:02 PM
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