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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1990-09-05, Page 3By Nettle Stoke A convoy of campers. ruailers. avails and people crept slowly dowry: Queen Street in Ki dune, August 22 to protest an ann uneentent that seasone1 trailers would be assessed its permanent structures of issueda lice permit fee, About 200 campers and campgrrauiutdR owners picketed in front of Bruce MPPMuaray Elston's office to protest the move by the of Revenue sin: trounced June 9. The announcement was not known by the Ontario •Private ' Campground Association (OPCA) until. early July. The assessment :would come into affect for seasonal trailers in all trailer parks, municipal, provincial and private ;can Tan. 1,1991. Campers and: campgrounds owners are demanding . the as- sessment tax be revoked and an agreement, made in the fall of 1989, befinalized before the Sept, 6 election. They; waited in front of Elston's office for about an howl anda half but he. didn't show up. Blston's. spokesperson Rod Mac- Donald said August 24 that seasonal trailers will be exempt from theassessment;tax. But he said the definition between a permanent and seasonal nailer has yet to be determined. Mrs . MacDonald said; OPCA. President Bill Jay has been assured by theTourism Ministry of . and Recreation ' 'and time Ministry of Revenue that no changes :will be LUCK Ow PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th Rally Day Awards for children Everyone Welcome +w$I `$ ""--Pose$ --Campers protest assessment tax put into place without consultation with the ;association.• Second of four rallies `11 a rally was one of four planned to protest :the assessment tax. The first weaned on the .weekend of August 17 when about 300 campers picketed in Swi,Ie Beach. The next protest was August 27 at -the Ministry of Revenue officer m Leamington and then August atC,Sieeji's Parse. A letter from revenue minister Remo Mancini to George Wands, president of the, Saable Beach Property Owners Association Inc.,. i'une23 said the assessment tax will affect seasonal trailers .that, are permanently attached to land, Other, seasonal trailers wouldbe charged a $50 licence permit fee pending, as decision to do. ser--; IN each, rnuniccipality, the letter said.. OF'CA presider Bill Jay said there is no legislation to •allow sa licence fee, referring, to a statement, made by :tourism and recreation minister Ken Black. At the rally, Richard McArthur, owner . of • Fisherman's Cove Cnmpgl+ound..near Kincardine, said campers and owners are protesting the new tax because they are al. ready being • taxed too much on the purchase of their trailers, .Loynd,.. businesses and by the new goods and services tax (GST). The director, with the OPCA,-Mrr.. McArthuur,. said he and director John Stewart organized the rallies against LUCKNOW CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Invites You; To Worship Wish lition CM Sunday, Sept.mnbur 9, i990 10 d.m..and 7.30 p.m. Nursf ry downdt.i►s morning envous; wticoME the assessment tsar;. Mx. McArthur said the ministry has been trying to asses trailers for the past throe years and new that that as an electron, the minist is trying, to push the tax through. "Anything that looks permanent, they (Ministry of Revenue) want to assess; he said, Mr. Jay said': guidelines set out by the ministry show a trailer :qualified . for the assesstxicnt ta* is one that is, connected to hydro, sewa,ae and water, is stabilized by block0 and has a deck, carport, garage or an aadaltiona1 room. He said the tutelary can't en- nounte an assessment tax because it doesn't, know if it can legally issue the. tax. Mr. Jay said a 1986 Grand Bend court claim on assessment that Was lost by carepers is now under appeal in London. The case &.expected to be heard in October. Stowing . how . the assessment taut will affect campers and campground tweets, Mr. McArthur said a park in'Saublo Beach was assessed four years ago on 149 trailers. The a. sessment ream tie owner would have been taxed a total of $10;000. This, new. billmust be, passedaver to the camper. Mr. McArthur said seasonal rates arc currently between $600 and '$1,000 which goes up annually anyway, ' The increase would be greater, by another $300 if campgrounds were assessed on'.their. seasonal trailers and if the GST was added, he said People will sell their trailers; he Had an agreement fleitlised Mr. McArthur said the OPCA hod finalized an agreement with the Miinistry of Revenue in fire fall of 1989 for a new lot licences fee to ,be purchased by the camper. The of ng eaa ernt was a#so with the Ministry of Municipal'Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the Association of • Municipalities ' of Ontario (AMO),, But, the Minisstryr of Revenue sud- denly reused the ,proal and came upwith the assessment tax. The' 1989' . agreement meant campers would have to pay an annual $00 sticker fee for a seasonal lot, a' system already used in Florida, he said. The campgnrund' association first. heard of the new assessment tax in June : when various trailer vides • including Green. Acres- Park . in Waterloo, . Highland 'Fines Campground- and Windmill Park were advised assessors would be visiting. After some confusion and letters, the campground association finally discovered, the assessment fax and licence fee were first announce June 9 by the Ministry of Revenue. The ministry sent a document ro regional assessment offices called Guidelines for the Assessment and. Licensing of Seasonal Trailers advising them of the new, agreement,. Mc Jay said 23 cents of every dollar would go to the municipality under the new assessment tax and most of the rest would go bade to the government. "The province is grabbing sn large amount of taxdollars; he said, adding the assessment tax is a "dinner ito the industry" and campground owners will become: taus collectors, Encourage* people to move around Former Aintree Trailer Park owner. Tom Boyer said the new tax will ericosamge people to move: so they don't have to pay" the tax, 'The signs say . it, enough is. enough," he said. Niagara Falis Wiper flab Barger. who was campingat Fisherman's Cove last.: week said, "it's another tax, surely: there's got to :1e a limit or an end." He said the government has imposed enough taxes, adding there should be a responsible government instead. Tom. Dickson, owner of Happy Hollow Campgr+oundiin Port Albert, said he pays high enough taxes, on lots and services. He said a'miler owner must pay. a: sales tax and GST on purchasing a trailer begin- ning January. 1, 1991, and "that's highrienough." We' (campground owners) have to collect tax at different times than when the lots are due. We collect, when die mill rate comes,. from the 'liirn to' page 5 . Londesboro Co-op is pleased to provide farmer; owned grain .a bean elevator facilities• " rti Londesboro. By working together, farmers can cbu ild their 'own successful agri-business • • • East E cjent Se, jcev •- Wagon Du. +first ! • Trucking . Availabl,e1 r ! • 'Fair Grades Ft .Prices& ll